Simulation and Operation of a CSP that works with a HRB cycle

Abstract

A Hybrid Rankine Brayton power cycle (HRB) is proposed as an alternative to the current technology used in Concentrated Solar Powerplants (CSPs) that work with medium temperatures (<400ºC). Other alternative power cycles that are common in the technical literature are presented in this paper for comparison purposes: a supercritical CO2 recompression Brayton cycle (sCO2-RB), and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). To do this, a parametric analysis is first carried out to compare the efficiencies of the cycles. After that, the HRB power block with the highest efficiency is sized, and a new parametric analysis of the cycles is carried out taking the HRB design as reference. For this, the related parameters to the total area of the heat exchangers of the power block and the area of the solar field are standardized. After that, the designs that maximize the power produced for each cycle are selected. Finally, an annual simulation and a comparison between the annual energy produced for each case is done