TITLE:
Numerical Model and Performance Validation of a Small-Scale Concentrating Solar Thermal Power Plant in Louisiana
AUTHORS:
Jonathan R. Raush, Kenneth Ritter, Matthew Prilliman, Myles Hebert, Zhao Pan, Terrence L. Chambers
KEYWORDS:
Solar Thermal, Modeling, Validation, Organic Rankine Cycle, Parabolic Trough
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Power and Energy Engineering,
Vol.6 No.9,
September
30,
2018
ABSTRACT: A simplified numerical model of a small-scale (25 - 100 kWe) parabolic concentrating solar power (CSP) plant is presented that can be utilized during the planning stages for a CSP plant, utilizing only simplified information that would be available at the preliminary stages of a project. This is important because existing models currently used for planning purposes, such as the System Advisor Model (SAM) from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), do not cover small-scale CSP plants. The model can be used to predict real-time performance, or it can be used with TMY data to estimate annual performance. The model was validated using performance data from an operating small-scale CSP power plant, which is a unique contribution of this work. The results showed that the model correlated well with actual operating measurements for all seasons of the year, and provided a useful tool for planning of future small-scale CSP plants.