Performance Analysis of Direct Steam Generation-Central Receiver Systems

Abstract

This work presents a comparative study between direct steam generation central receiver solar power plants working at live steam conditions similar to those found in commercial plants. PS10 and PS20 by Abengoa Solar use a single-receiver, producing saturated steam, whereas Sierra SunTower by e-Solar and Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) by BrightSource use dual-receiver technology producing superheated steam. The system analysis includes individual studies for each subsystem: solar field, receiver and Rankine power block; as well as the overall-analysis of a 66.7 MWth plant. PS10 working conditions were analysed with and without intermediate reheat step. It was assumed that Sierra SunTower-configuration has non-reheat turbine and Ivanpah-cycle includes an intermediate reheat step. The reheat process in PS10 configuration was performed using a fraction of live steam coming from the receiver; while for Ivanpah-configuration exhaust steam from high pressure turbine stage was sent back to the superheated steam section of the dual-receiver. These concepts make possible to avoid hybridisation and assure special regimes (such as Spanish feed-in tariff). The analysis of the heliostat field for dual-receiver concepts reveals that the aiming strategy on the absorbers has not relevant influence on optical performances. However, receiver efficiency decreased from 91.9%, working with saturated steam, to 87.86–84.14% working with superheated steam related to operating temperatures and heat exchange surface area. This study reveals that the improvement achieved in the power block under Ivanpah configuration was able to compensate higher thermal losses at the receiver, increasing net power production by 25.5% compared with saturated steam conditions.