Technical Feasibility Study of Thermal Energy Storage Integration into the Conventional Power Plant Cycle

Abstract

Abstract:The current load balance in the grid is managed mainly through peaking fossil-fuelled power plants that respond passively to the load changes. Intermittency, which comes from renewable energy sources, imposes additional requirements for even more flexible and faster responses from conventional power plants. A major challenge is to keep conventional generation running closest to the design condition with higher load factors and to avoid switching off periods if possible. Thermal energy storage (TES) integration into the power plant process cycle is considered as a possible solution for this issue. In this article, a technical feasibility study of TES integration into a 375-MW subcritical oil-fired conventional power plant is presented. Retrofitting is considered in order to avoid major changes in the power plant process cycle. The concept is tested based on the complete power plant model implemented in the ProTRAX software environment. Steam and water parameters are assessed for different TES integration scenarios as a function of the plant load level. The best candidate points for heat extraction in the TES charging and discharging processes are evaluated. The results demonstrate that the integration of TES with power plant cycle is feasible and provide a provisional guidance for the design of the TES system that will result in the minimal influence on the power plant cycle.

On the Convenience of Using Simulation Models to Optimize the Control Strategy of Molten-Salt Heat Storage Systems in Solar Thermal Power Plants

“…This is the type of TES considered in this paper, although one-tank TES are also very popular in the literature [36][37][38]. It must be noticed that the use of TES is not limited to solar thermal plants: they can be integrated in other systems such as oil-fired conventional power plants [39], nuclear power plants [40] or many other applications such as hot water supply, air conditioning, heat pumps, buildings, cogeneration, etc. [41].…”

Molten Salt Storage for Power Generation

“…Garbrecht simulated molten-salt thermal storage systems in an incinerator and a small-size lignite-fired power plant [113]. Wojcik reviewed literature about TES in power plants and examined TES concepts in the steam-water cycle at different integration points [114].…”

Thermo-Mechanical Investigations of Packed Beds for High Temperature Heat Storage: Continuum Modeling

“…The application of thermal energy storage (TES) is a key technology for power plants by offering improved operating flexibility for conventional power plants and extended operating time for power plants driven by renewable energy sources [1,2]. Other power generating applications for TES are adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems [3,4].…”