A Calculation Model for a Thermodynamic Analysis of Solar Plants with Parabolic Collectors Cooled by Air Evolving in an Open Joule-Brayton Cycle

A Calculation Model for a Thermodynamic Analysis of Solar Plants with Parabolic Collectors Cooled by Air Evolving in an Open Joule-Brayton Cycle

Mario Cucumo Vittorio Ferraro Dimitrios Kaliakatsos Valerio Marinelli 

Department of Mechanical, Energetics and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Cube 44/C

Page: 
127-134
|
DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.18280/ijht.310217
Received: 
N/A
| |
Accepted: 
N/A
| | Citation

OPEN ACCESS

Abstract: 

The paper presents a model able to carry out a thermodynamic analysis and evaluation of the annual performance of solar plants provided with cylindrical parabolic collectors cooled by atmospheric air, evolving in an open-type Joule-Brayton cycle. In order to increase the cycle efficiency, the air compressor is inter-refrigerated and regeneration is used.

In the paper a variant of the plant configuration is also studied, with two passages of the air in the collectors and its reheating after a first expansion in the high pressure stage of the turbine. In some circumstances this type of plant performs better than the first.

The plant proposed is particularly simple, is able to compete well with other more complex plants operating with different heat transfer fluids and is also attractive from an economic point of view.

Calculation results are reported for plants located in some Italian and foreign places, in terms of annual electricity production, average efficiencies of collectors, turbine and whole plant.

1. Introduction
2. Model of Parabolic Collectors
3. Model of the Turboair Engine
4. Estimation of the Yearly Performance of the Plant
5. Conclusions
  References

[1] Fernandez-Garcia A, Zarza E, Valenzuela L, Perez M. Parabolic-trough solar collectors and their applications. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2010; 14: 1695-1721.

[2] National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) www.nrel.gov/

[3] The Parabolic trough power plants Andasol 1 to 3, Solar Millennium AG, Germany. 2008.

[4] Hermann U, Kelly B. Price H. Two-tank molten salt storage for parabolic trough solar power plants, Energy 2004; 29: 883-893.

[5] Montes M J, Abanades A, Martinez-Val J M, Valdes M. Solar multiple optimization for a solar-only thermal power plant, using oil as heat transfer fluid in the parabolic trough collectors. Solar Energy 2009; 83: 2165-2176.

[6] Falchetta M, Gambarotta A, Vaja I, Cucumo M, Manfredi C. Modelling and Simulation of the Thermo and Fluid Dynamics of the “Archimede Project” Solar Power Station. In: Proceedings of ECOS 2006; July 12-14, 2006. Aghia Pelagia, Crete, Greece.

[7] Ferraro V, Marinelli V., An evaluation of thermodynamic solar plants with cylindrical parabolic collectors and air turbine engines with open Joule-Bryton cycle. Energy 2012; 35: 3722-3730.

[8] Ferraro V, Imeneo F, Marinelli V., An improved model to evaluate thermodynamic solar plants with cylindrical parabolic collectors and air turbine engines in open Joule-Bryton cycle. Energy 2013; 53:323-331.

[9] Cucumo M, Ferraro V, Kaliakatsos D, Mele M, Marinelli V. Due metodi di calcolo per l’analisi termica dei collettori parabolici. In: Atti del 66° Congresso Nazionale ATI; 5-9 September 2011. Rende (CS), Italy.

[10] Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a, Massa Martana (PG), Italy, w.w.w.archimedesolarenergy.com

[11] Thermoflex Program, version 22.0.1. Thermoflow Inc. Southborough (USA);2013.

[12] DataFit, version 8.1.69. Oakdale Engineering. Oakdale (USA);2005.

[13] Satel-light.The European Data Base of Daylight and Solar Radiation http://satellight.entpe.fr/; Novembre 2012.

[14] SAM version 3.0, Solar Advisor Model reference manual for CSP trough systems. Golden, Colorado, USA: National Renewable Energy Laboratory; July 2009.

[15] Andasol2, http://nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/; 20January 20