Introduc)on

to CSP

Ali Yasir GTZ Renewable Energy and Energy Eciency (REEE)

Programme, Pakistan
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Contents
Basics
CSP Collector types and proper)es
Electricity and Process Heat Applica)ons of
CSP
Basics of Thermal Energy Storage
Future trends and economics of CSP

Basics
CSP = Concentra)ng Solar (Thermal) Power
Solar Resource
What is the solar resource?

Concentra)on
Why concentra)on and how?
Solar Collector for CSP

Basics - DNI

Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) is the amount of solar radiation received per unit area by a surface that is
always held perpendicular (or normal) to the rays that come in a straight line from the direction of the sun
at its current position in the sky.

Solar radia)on data, direct normal radia)on

(DNI), are the basis of assessments of CSP
Solar resource study
Regional pre-assessment study
Solar atlas
Site audit

What is DNI?

Basics - DNI

Basics - DNI

Basics Solar Resource I

Basics Solar Resource II

Basics Concentra)on
Normal collectors cannot achieve the
temperatures needed for most process heat
and power applica)ons
Concentra)on increases power density and
therefore increase temperatures
Concentra)on possible in two dimensions:
Point Focus Concentra)on
Line Focus Concentra)on
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Basics Concentra)on (contd)

Theore)cal limits for
concentra)on
Line focus
concentra)on: C
212
Point focus
concentra)on: C
45,000

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Basics Collectors for CSP

Sunlight in concentrated on
an absorbing receiver
Light is transformed into heat
Heat transfer uid (thermo -
oil, salt, steam, air) is heated
in the receiver high temps
Steam is produced (via heat
exchanger) using heat
generated

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Basics Collectors for CSP (contd)

Collector Eciency:
Eciency = Energy
transferred/Energy supplied
by the sun
Energy transferred = Energy
supplied (op)cal losses for
normal irradia)on + op)cal
losses due to oblique incidence
+ thermal losses)
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Collector Types and Proper)es

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Contents
Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTC)
Linear Fresnel Collectors (LFC)
Heliostats
Dish Sterling System (DSS)

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Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTC)

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Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC)

Principle
CSP requires direct normal
irradia)on (DNI)
Parabolic mirrors track the
sun in one axis
Sunlight is reected and
focused by the parabolic
mirror on the absorber
tube which heats up the
heat transfer uid.

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Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC)

Components
Heat collec)ng element absorber tube
Reec)ng mirrors
Structure and tracking system

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PTC Components Absorber Tube

Converts concentrated
radia)on into heat
Selec)vely absorbing,
coated steel pipe
Evacuated glass tube
Design Goals:
High absorp)on of
complete solar spectrum
low heat losses by
convec)on and infrared
radia)on
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PTC Components Mirrors

Curved parabolic shape
Glass mirrors:
Good op)cal
performance
high reectance and high
durability
But:
Heavy and fragile
quality control is
important for shape
accuracy of parabola
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PTC Components Alterna)ves to

Mirrors

Aluminum sheets
Silvered lms
Thin glass
Poten)al:
Cost reduc)on in
combina)on with
structural elements
Light weight and easy
handling, befer shape
accuracy
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PTC Components Tracking System

and Moun)ng Structure
Oneaxis tracking of sun posi)on
Hydraulic drive
Design Goal:
Reduced drive/control/power
requirements per reector

Pylons
Support Structure
Design Goals:
Low weight and cost
Torsion and Bending S)ness
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Conclusion for PTC Design Goals

Selec)ve absorber with low heat losses
Mirrors with high op)cal eciency but low cost
Support structure with low weight and cost but
adequate s)ness
Accurate and reliable tracking
Manufacturing and logis)cs simplicity

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Linear Fresnel Collectors (LFCs)

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Linear Fresnel Collector

Concentra)on of direct Insula)on
Primary reectors, at parabola with elas)c bending
Sta)onary receiver with second stage reector

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LFC - Components
Receiver - Absorber tube
Second stage reector
Mirror eld
Structure: pylons, mirror support and tracking system
same as PTCs
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LFC Components Receiver

Selec)vely absorbing,
coated steel pipe or pipe
bundle
Non-evacuated tube in air
or evacuated glass tube
Design Goals:
High absorp)on of complete
solar spectrum
low heat losses by convec)on
and infrared radia)on
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LFC Components Second stage

reector
Sta)onary receiver
Second stage mirrors
Curved glass or aluminum
mirrors

Absorber tube with air

stable selec)ve coa)ng
Glass plate and insula)on
against heat losses
Note - Mul*-tube receivers are also
coming in the market that dont
require secondary mirrors
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LFC Components Mirror Field

Primary glass mirrors
Good op)cal performance - high
reectance and high durability
Heavy and fragile
Elas)c bending shape - quality
control during produc)on and
assembly is important for accuracy

Almost at parabola
Elas)c bending of at glass mirrors
cost reduc)on
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LFC Components Mirror Field

Other op)ons
Aluminum sheets
Silvered lms
Thin glass

Poten)al:
Cost reduc)on in combina)on
with structural elements
Light weight and easy
handling, befer shape
accuracy
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Heliostats

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Heliostats
Central receiver system uses a solar eld to focus the
radia)on onto a central receiver which collects
energy by absorp)on of irradiance
The Solar eld consists of an array of heliostats able
to track the sun by two-axis movements
The tracking of the heliostats is done by an algorithm
Heliostats are faced north of tower (northern
hemisphere) and south of tower in (southern
hemisphere)
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Heliostats
For heliostats two kinds
of mirrors are used:
First kind are
conven*onal at glass
mirrors
Second kind are high
reec*ve metal foils

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Dish S)rling System (DSS)

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Dish S)rling System

A Dish S)rling System (DSS) produces Electricity from
Solar Energy in a very compact system in 3 steps:
1. Solar Radia)on Heat (at high temperature)
2. Heat Mechanical Power
3. Mechanical Power Electrical Power

This is achieved by:

1. High Concentra)on of the solar light
2. Conversion to mechanical energy S)rling Engine
3. Transforma)on into electricity Conven)onal
Generator
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Dish S)rling System

Advantages of Dish S)rling Systems (DSS) are:
Decentralized system
Compactness makes remote applica)ons possible (remote
power generators)
Modularity permits mass produc)on
High eciency due to high temperatures
Currently the highest solar-to-electricity conversion (peak value
of 31 %)

Hybrid System possible - combina)on with other heat

sources

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Dish S)rling System

Disadvantages of DSS:
Direct irradia)on necessary
Only pilot phase - no commercial experiences up to now
No thermal storage for individual dish

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Dish S)rling System

The main components of a Dish S)rling System
1. Circular concentra)ng mirror = Concentrator (Collector)
2. Radia)on receiving unit = Receiver
3. Thermo-mechanical conversion unit = S)rling Engine
4. Mechanical-electrical conversion unit = Generator
5. Moun)ng system with two-axis tracking unit

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Heat Transfer Fluids (HTFs)

Thermal oil
Mature technology
But: Temperature for opera)on is limited,
environmental risks and high cost
Direct steam generaKon
Poten)al: Reduc)on of heat exchangers, simpler
pumping, higher opera)on temperatures (lower cost)
But: Complex opera)on and control, higher O&M
cost, no storage available today
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Heat Transfer Fluids (HTFs) contd

Molten Salt
Poten)al: Reduc)on of heat exchangers, higher
opera)on temperatures, combina)on (lower cost)
But: Risk of freezing at about 120C - 200C

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Applica)ons of CSP

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Applica)ons of CSP
Electricity Genera)on
Process Heat

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CSP for Electricity Genera)on

The main applica)on for
CSP is electricity
genera)on
Two ways of using CSP
for power genera)on
are:
Integra)on into steam
cycle
Integrated Solar
Combined-Cycle (ISCC)
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Integra)on into Steam Cycle

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Integrated Solar Combined-Cycle

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Parabolic Trough Power Plant

Opera)ng temperature: 300C to
500C
Concentra)on Factor: C = 70 90
Heat transfer uid: thermal oil,
direct steam, molten salt
Typical power size: 50 to 400
MWel
Commercial projects
commissioned
Annual Eciency = 12% - 14%
LEC 5ct/KWh (2020)
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Linear Fresnel Collector Power

Plant

Opera)ng temperature: 200C to

500C
Concentra)on Factor: C = 60
120
Heat transfer uid: thermal oil,
direct steam, molten salt possible
Typical power size: 5 to 400
Mwel
Only demo projects
commissioned
Annual Eciency = 10% - 12%
LEC 5ct/KWh (2020)

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Solar Tower Power Plant

Opera)ng temperature: 1000C
plus
Concentra)on Factor: C = 500
1000
Heat transfer uid: direct steam/
air, molten salt
Typical power size: 5 to 400
Mwel
Commercial/demo projects
commissioned
Annual Eciency = 13% - 17%
LEC 5ct/KWh (2020)

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Industrial Scale CSP

A recent development in
CSP technologies is the
use for industrial-scale
heat and power
As a rule of thumb, a
CSP system can generate
thrice the amount of
heat for a certain
installed capacity of
electricity
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Industrial Scale CSP

Due to the available heat,
combined solu)ons for
electricity, process heat
and oce cooling are
being developed
Industrial-scale CSP can
provide process heat
temperatures up to
400Cfor a power range
from 100 kW 10 M
Unlimited number of
possible processes for
polygenera)on

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Advantages of Industrial Scale CSP

Output temperature up to 400C; power genera)on range
100 kW 10 MW
Sta)onary receiver
Precise automa)c power and temperature control - no
idleness or overhea)ng problem
Installa)on close to process heat applica)on on the roof of
a produc)on hall
High ground usage factor
The system does not need to be aligned on a north-south
or east-west axis
Top quality guarantees reliable opera)on, maximum
output and therefore the highest possible cost-
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eec)veness

Basics of Thermal Energy Storage

(TES)

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Why use TES?

Solar energy not always available when need for
power
Heat generated by solar eld is befer managed ->
stable opera)on and dispatch
Higher revenues by load management according to
demand
Grid operators will be thankful
Much befer power delivery predic)on
Stable supply
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Types of TES
Conven)onal heat storage
Thermo Oil
Concrete
Molten salt
Iron, Rocks, Sand in combina)on with oil
Liquid sodium (storage nally burned)

Latent heat storage

Phase Change Materials (PCM e.g. salt nitrates)

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Working Principle of TES

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Example of Exis)ng TES

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 Thermal Energy Storage

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Future Outlook for CSP

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Main Technological Advancements

Expected
Linear Fresnel Collectors (cheaper mirrors, sta)onary
receiver)
Direct Steam Genera)on (no HTF/HE, reduced
pumping, higher temp.)
Storage improvement (cheaper & for DSG)
Higher thermodynamic eciencies
System integra)on (site-specic plant op)miza)on +
combina)on of power, cooling, desalina)on)

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Expected Market Development I

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Expected Market Development II

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Expected Market Development III

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Current Scenario

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Expected Scenario

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CSP Economics
Today, CSP is not yet cost compe))ve
Subsidiary incen)ves are needed to nance
market introduc)on phase, un)l cost-
compe))vity is reached:
Feed-in-taris
Quota systems (with penal)es!)
Tax credits
Funds

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CSP Economics
CSP installed cost ranges between 3 and 7 US-$/W
(no fuel costs, no indica)on about capacity factor)
More important decision criterion is LEC
LEC is strongly inuenced by solar irradia)on
Storage increases full load hours and protability of
plants Short-term cost eects will be overcome
within 1-3 years
Cost reduc)on by: R&D, plant scale-up, mass
produc)on
Cost compe))vity within less than 10 years expected
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Conclusion
There is a future for CSP
Contribute and par)cipate!

Thank you for listening!

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Ali Yasir

GTZ REEE, Islamabad

ali.yasir@gtz-reee.org.pk
ali.yasir@gtz.de

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