Analysis oI High Temperature Thermal Energy

Storage Ior Solar Power Plant

Bhaskar Rahul Nandi, Santanu Bandyopadhyay, Rangan Banerjee
Department oI Energy Science and Engineering
Indian Institute oI Technology Bombay
E-mail: techbhaskariitb.ac.in


Abstract- Integration of storage system plays an important role
for economic success of solar thermal power plant. At present
two-tank, thermocline, concrete, castable ceramic and phase
change material (PCM) are most common existing storage
options, each of these storage system have own unique feature. A
comparative analysis is done for the storage system by fixing the
size of solar power plant of 50MW and storage duration of 6
hour. A cost and energy analysis is carried out to evaluate
economic and energy requirement of storage system. The study
evaluates the specific cost of each system. From this analysis
thermocline thermal storage is come as preferred option. The
performance parameter like efficiency, Levelized electric cost
(LEC) are also been evaluated in this study.
I. INTRODUCTION
Solar thermal power plants are work on the same principle as
conventional steam cycle power plants, but using solar
radiation as energy input. Conventionally solar energy can be
use to generate high-temperature steam or heating the input
Ilue gas Ior gas cycle to drive a turbine. Solar hour limitation
Ior the power plant typically operates Ior 68 hour a day on
solar energy. Typical daily solar energy distribution, along
with a typical load curve is shown in Iig. 1.

Fig. 1. Solar Radiation with respected to time.
Thermal energy storage is an option that can collect energy in
order to shiIt its delivery to a later time, or to smooth out
the plant output during cloudy weather conditions. Hence,
the operation oI a solar thermal power plant can be
extended beyond periods oI no solar radiation without the
need to burn Iossil Iuel. Mismatch time between energy
supply by the sun and energy demand can be reduced by
storage system.
II. REVIEW OF THERMAL STORAGE
A. Sensible heat storage
Thermal energy can be stored by changing the temperatures
oI substances that experience a change in internal energy.
Sensible heat storage may be solid media or liquid media. In
solid media storage heat is stored by exchanging heat Irom
heat transIer Iluid, where as in case liquid media storage heat
is stored by exchanging heat Irom heat transIer Iluid or
directly by storage liquid media.
1. Solid Sensible heat storage
Solid sensible storage is a simple in technological sense.
Storage is design Ior parabolic trough power plants using
synthetic oil as the heat transIer medium, and the application
oI solid media sensible heat storage is an attractive option
regarding investment and maintenance costs. Storage system
utilizes an inexpensive storage material. Solid storage system
are been developed by German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Iunded by the German Government. Concrete and castable
ceramics have good characteristics to be used as a solid heat
storage materials both tested are tested at the PlataIorma
Solar de Almeria |1|.
2. Liquid Sensible heat storage
Molten salts are used as prominent liquid storage medium Ior
solar power plant systems, they are liquid at atmospheric
pressure, provide an eIIicient, low cost medium in which to
store thermal energy, their operating temperatures are
compatible with High-pressure and high-temperature steam.
The three principal candidate salts include the Iollowing:
Hitec, Hitec XL1, Binary salt mixture oI NaNO
3
and KNO
3

|4|
.

Two-tank thermal storage is well developed and
commercially used in solar thermal power plant. . Pacheco |2|
simulated the thermal behavior oI the tank and describe the
heat transIer in the system. Herrmann |3| developed a
program Ior two tank storage system to determine the
electricity production Irom solar power plant with and
without storage. Sandia National Laboratories identiIied
inexpensive Iiller material which is widely available, high
heat capacity, void Iraction, compatible with nitrate salts, and
non-hazardous Iiller material. Brosseau |4| had done
comparison Iound that thermocline storage cost 35 cheaper
than the two tank storage.
B. Latent heat storage
Thermal energy can be stored isothermally in the substances
as latent heat oI phase change, commonly solid-liquid
transaction is used. Phase change materials allow large
amounts oI energy to be stored in relatively small volumes,
IEEE ICSET 2012, Nepal
978-1-4577-1871-7/12/$26.00 2012 IEEE
438
resulting in the lowest primary storage material than the any
other storage system. Zalba |8| review the materials, heat
transIer and applications Ior phase change material.

C. Thermo-chemical heat storage
Thermo-chemical storage mechanism is by means oI
chemical reactions. All chemical reaction must be reversible
Ior this type oI storage system. The heat produced by the
solar receiver is used to excite an endothermic chemical
reaction. II the reaction is completely reversible, the thermal
energy can be recovered completely by the reverse reaction.
Common advantages oI this mechanism are high storage
energy densities, indeIinitely long storage duration at near
ambient temperature and heat-pumping capability, but this
storage system still not proven Ior large scale power plant.
Storage system still needs Iurther advancement.
Presently existing thermal storage consider Ior the analysis is
given in Table I.
TABLE I
EXISTING STORAGE SYSTEM
III. BASIS OF COMPARISON FOR THERMAL STORAGE
The comparison Ior any thermal storage system are based on
two groups oI criteria
A. Economics.
Evaluation based on evaluation oI cost per kilowatt hours oI storage,
and LEC. IC is investment cost and CRF is capital recovery Iactor,
O&M is operation and maintenance.
output electric Net
cost M & O )(CRF) I ( +
=
C
LEC
(1)
B. Energv.
Evaluation oI energy require Ior one cycle oI thermal storage
based on net energy analysis.
IV. METHODOLOGY
The comparisons are made on basis oI two analyses: cost and
net energy. A 50 MW parabolic trough power plant is chosen
Ior the analysis, solar Iield conIiguration and location is
considered as Andasol 1, solar Iield aperture area is 510,120
m. Inlet and outlet temperature oI solar Iield 293 C and
393 C. Solar day oI 20
th
August 2007 is chosen Ior the
analysis |10|. Shown in Iig. 2. The thermal power plant
conIiguration oI 66 bar pressure and 384C steam is consider
Ior the analysis, thermal storage is considered Ior 6 h backup.

Fig. 2. Power plant operation on Aug 20
th
2007 Andalusia |10|
The gross power eIIiciency is considered to be 35. Total
thermal energy required Ior the operation is 857 MWh.
Schematic oI the system is shown in the Iig. 3.
Fig. 3. Schematic Layout.
A. Cost Analvsis.
Existing storage is redesign Ior running a 50 MW power plant
Ior 6 h. Total cost oI storage is divided into three part
material cost, labour cost and operation & maintains (O&M)
cost. Schematic oI methodology is shown in Iig 4. Costing oI
material is done as per latest price rates.

Fig. 4. Analysis Methodology.
O&M cost oI thermal storage is assumed to be same as two-
tank storage is 0.667 M$ |3|. Annual discount rate is assumed
to be 10, only storage cost and power generate due to
storage is consider Ior LEC calculation.
) R rate Charge ( cost) Labor (
) R rate Charge )( M cost Material ( cost Annualised
L
n n
+
=

(2)
Storage
System
Design
Location
Storage
Capacity
Size
No.
Modules
Castable
Ceramic
PlataIorma
Solar de
Almeria |9|
350 kWh 0.480.4823 m
3
2
Concrete
Andasol I
|13|
1100
MWh
1842.6 m
3
252
Two-Tank
Andasol I
|15|
1010
MWh
14 m Height, 38.5
m Diameter
1
Thermocline NREL |4| 2.3 MWh
6.1 m Height, 3 m
Diameter
1
Phase
Change
Material
Andassol I
|12,16|
200 kWh 5x0.5x0.6 m
3
1
439
output electric Net
cost M & O cost) Annualised (
) / ($
+
= MWhe LEC
(3)
B. Net energv analvsis.
Net energy oI thermal storage is deIined as the total amount
non recoverable energy by storage Ior running a 50 MW
power plant Ior one cycle. Net energy is sum oI thermal
energy loss, pump energy and indirect energy.
Thermal energy loss is Q
h
, temperature oI storage T

, ambient
temperature T
amb
, thermal conductivity K, coeIIicient thermal
oI convection h
a
, length l, area A and time t
dt T T A h dt
l
T T
KA Q
amb a
amb
h
) (
) (
+

(4)
A parasitic load Ior a storage system is pump energy. Pump is
requiring Ior Ilow oI heat transIer Iluid in the system. Flow
rate is Q, store energy E, time t, heat capacity oI oil / molten
salt is , density oI oil / molten salt , acceleration due to
gravity g, pump head h, pump eIIiciency
p,
power eIIiciency

e,
and pump power .
tx
E
Q =
(5)
e P
h g Q

.
. . .
=

(6)


Energy requried Ior manuIacturing the storage system that
includes material, electricity and Iuel. Storage system consist
oI various materials, indirect energy is calculated by sum all
total liIe cycle energy oI all component.Minimum operational
liIe oI all storage system is considered Ior 10000 cycles.

V. ANALYSIS
A. Cost Analvsis
1. Castable ceramics
Design oI existing tested storage slab has been maintained
only quantity oI slab is scaled. The storage slab is made up oI
Al
2
O
3
ceramic composition. Slab is composed oI stainless
steel pipe Ior heat exchange. The ceramic slab is covered with
mineral wool Ior lateral and top thermal insulation. Foam
glass installed at the bottom oI the slab acting as high
pressure there insulation. For the required thermal energy
storage need a 2571 numbers oI existing ceramics slab. Detail
cost calculation is shown in Table II.
TABLE II
MATERIAL ESTIMATION AND COSTING OF CASTABLE CERAMICS THERMAL
STORAGE
Material Weight (MT) Cost (US$/kg) Cost (USM$)
Castable Ceramics 85000 0.12|19| 10.2
Stainless Steel 4875 2.645|20| 12.89
Mineral Wool 1420.2 0.2|21| 0.028
Foam Glass 204.3 0.5|21| 0.01
Wood 22.95 2.5|23| 0.06
Thermo oil 900 3|22| 2.7
Nitrogen 0.15 1.13|24| 0.0002
Labour 1.53|17|
Total Cost (USM$) 27.77
Total cost is around 27.77 M$. Storage cost is 30.85 $/kWh.
Annual electric output is 109.5 GWh. Levelized electric cost
Ior storage system is 33.4 $/MWh.
2. High Temperature Concrete
A concrete storage slab is made up oI Iurnace material. A
graphite Ioil is added in the concrete Ior increasing heat
conductivity. Mineral wool and Ioam glass is used as
insulation. Concrete composed oI stainless steel pipe Ior heat
exchange Irom heat transIer Iluid. For the required thermal
energy storage need 218 slabs oI existing concrete storage
weight estimation and cost calculation is shown in Table III.
TABLE III
MATERIAL ESTIMATION AND COSTING OF CONCRETE THERMAL STORAGE.
Material Weight (MT) Cost (US$/kg) Cost (USM$)
Concrete 111,677.20 0.1|25| 11.17
Graphite Ioil 13.30 2.5|26| 0.03
Stainless Steel 3,954.85 2.65 10.46
Mineral Wool 1,499.10 0.20 0.30
Foam Glass 36.67 0.50 0.02
Wood 24.22 2.50 0.06
Thermo oil 950.00 3.00 2.85
Nitrogen 0.15 1.13 0.00
Labour Cost 1.68 |17|
Total Cost (USM$) 26.57
Total cost is 26.57 M$. Storage cost is 27.96 $/kWh.
Levelized electric cost Ior storage system is 32.29 $/MWh.
3. Two-tank
A liIe cycle analysis is done by NREL Ior two tank storage
and thermocline system. A design is made Ior 6 hr storage oI
50 MW electric generations. Material comparison is shown in
Table IV.
TABLE IV
COMPARISON OF MATERIALS USED IN TWO-TANK AND THERMOCLINE
MOLTEN SALT THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO SUPPLY 6
HOURS OF THERMAL STORAGE FOR 50 MW CSP PLANTS |18|.
The steel storage tank size is decided by scaling existing
model. Tank size is 13.5 m in height and 37.6 m in diameter.
Apart Irom storage tank a system require additional heat
exchanger, pump and pipe arrangement Ior oil to molten salt

Material
Weight(Kg)
Two-Tank Thermocline
Thermal Mass
Silica Sand 954070
Molten Salt 25600000 7680000
Heat
Exchanger
Calcium Silicate 28397 14198.5
Stainless Steel 411000 179000
Storage
Tank(s)
Calcium Silicate 18724.5 9380.5
Carbon Steel 885000 456000
Mineral Wool 103295 57670
Stainless Steel 6110 3080
Storage Tank
Foundation
Carbon Steel 258000 134000
Concrete 3850000 2070000
Foam Glass 33105.5 16060
ReIractory Brick 243455 157680
Nitrogen
Ullage
System
Calcium Silicate 1799.45 897.9
Carbon Steel 20000 17900
Nitrogen 429000 28100
Elevated
PlatIorm
Carbon Steel 194000 194000
Concrete 1290000 1290000
440
heat exchange. Mineral wool and Ioam is glass used Ior
insulation. The Ioundation oI storage is made up oI concrete.
Nitrogen based ullage system is provided. Cost calculation is
shown in Table V.
TABLE V
TWO TANK STORAGE COSTING
Material Weight (MT) Cost(US$/kg) Cost(USM$)
Molten Salt 25600 0.68|27| 17.41
Calcium Silicate 48.92 1.1|28| 0.05
Stainless Steel 417.11 2.645 1.1
Carbon Steel 1357 0.781|20| 1.06
Mineral Wool 103.3 0.2 0.02
Concrete 5140 0.2 1.03
Foam Glass 33.1 0.5 0.02
ReIractory
Brick
243.45 1.05|29| 0.26
Nitrogen 429 1.13 0.48
Piping 2.65|31|
Heat Exchanger
& Pump
5.58 |3|
Balance system 2.59 |3|
Labour Cost 2.8 |32|
Total Cost (USM$) 35.05
Total cost oI two-tank storage is 35.05 M$. Storage cost
40.05 $/kWh. Levelized electric cost Ior storage system 40.23
$/MWh.
4. Thermocline
The steel storage tank size is decided by scaling existing
model. Tank size is 20 m in height and 32.5 m in diameter.
Thermocline is dual medium based storage system silica sand
is act as solid thermal storage media and molten salt as liquid
storage media. Detail cost calculation is shown in Table VI.
TABLE VI
THERMOCLINE STORAGE COSTING
Total cost oI thermocline storage is 19.65 M$. Storage cost
22.5 $/kWh. Levelized electric cost Ior storage system 25.28
$/MWh.
5. Phase change material
Modular arrangement is assumed, tested existing design oI
the storage is not been changed only number modular slabs
Ior storage get increase. Equivalent slabs required Ior thermal
energy storage is 4500. Potassium nitrate is considered as
primary storage media. Graphite Ioil is added Ior increasing
thermal conductivity. Aluminium is Iins are added to extent
the surIace area Ior heat transIer. Cost calculation is shown in
Table VII.
Total cost oI thermal storage is 30.6 M$. Storage cost 34
$/kWh. Levelized electric cost Ior storage system is 35.9
$/MWh.
TABLE VII
MATERIAL ESTIMATION AND COSTING OF PCM THERMAL STORAGE
Material Weight (MT) Cost (US$/kg) Cost (USM$)
KNO3 15862.5 0.62|27| 9.83
Graphite Ioil 12.6 2.5 0.03
Stainless Steel 3019.5 2.645 7.99
Mineral Wool 1420.2 0.2 0.28
Concrete 3796.74 0.1 3.8
Wood 22.95 2.5 0.06
Aluminium 2463.3 2.5 6.16
Nitrogen 0.15 1.13 0.00017
Labour Cost 2.45
Total Cost (USM$) 30.6

B. Net Energv Analvsis
1. Castable ceramics
Most oI the components oI the storage are in the range oI
expected liIe oI storage. Main component and required
energy is shown in table VIII.
TABLE VIII
ENERGY REQUIRED FOR CASTABLE CERAMICS THERMAL STORAGE
Amount electrical energy require Ior manuIacturing oI the
storage system is 0.62 TJ calculation is based on analysis
Viebahn |12|. Amount diesel energy require during
manuIacturing oI the storage system 10.78 TJ based on
analysis by Viebahn |12|. Indirect energy require Ior a single
cycle is 0.1453 TJ, energy in Kilowatt-hour is 40378 kWh.
Pump Ilow rate required is 0.7 m
3
/s, velocity oI synthetic oil
is considered 0.5 m/s. Average pump head is 2.5 m. Pump
energy required Ior a single cycle operation 658.6 kWh.
Storage is at temperature oI 393C, ambient temperature is
assumed to be at 32 C. Storage wall is covered with mineral
wool and Ioam glass. Total heat loss Irom the storage per
cycle is 45268.1 kW.
Net energy Ior a one cycle oI operation oI 50 MW power
plant is 86304.7 kWh.
2. High Temperature Concrete
Amount electrical energy require during manuIacturing oI
storage system 0.653 TJ. Amount diesel energy require
Material Weight (MT) Cost(US$/kg) Cost(USM$)
Silica Sand 954 0.015|33| 0.01
Molten Salt 7680 0.68 5.22
Calcium Silicate 24.5 1.1 0.03
Stainless Steel 182 2.645 0.48
Carbon Steel 801.9 0.781 0.63
Mineral Wool 57.67 0.2 0.01
Concrete 3360 0.2 0.67
Foam Glass 16 0.5 0.01
ReIractory Brick 157.7 1.05 0.17
Nitrogen 28.1 1.13 0.03
Piping 2.65 |31|
Heat Exchanger
& Pump 5.58 |3|
Balance system 2.59 |3|
Labour Cost 1.57 |32|
Total cost (USM$) 19.65
Material
Expected
LiIe
(Cycle)
Equivalent
Factor
Weight
(MT)
Energy
Required
(MJ/kg)
Energy
(TJ)
Castable
Ceramics
10000 1 85000 12.6|34| 1071
Stainless
Steel
10000 1 4875 49.97 |35| 243.6
Mineral
Wool
3650|33| 3 1420.2 22.4 |36| 95.44
Foam
Glass
3650|33| 3 204.3 26 |36| 15.94
Wood 10000 1 22.95 7.2 |35| 0.17
Thermo
oil
7300|37| 2 900 8.92 |35| 16.06
Nitrogen 0.15 1.67 |35| 0.00025
Total Energy (TJ) 1442.2
441
during manuIacturing oI storage system 11.38 TJ. Total
material energy calculation shown in Table IX.
Indirect energy require Ior a single cycle is 0.0634 TJ, energy
in Kilowatt-hour is 17615.7 kWh. Pump Ilow rate required is
0.7 m
3
/s, velocity oI synthetic oil is considered 0.5 m/s.
Average pump head is 2.5 m. Pump energy required Ior a
single cycle operation 658.6 kWh.
TABLE IX
ENERGY REQUIRED FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE CONCRETE THERMAL STORAGE
Storage wall is covered with mineral wool and Ioam glass.
Total heat loss Irom the storage is 96326.4 kW.
Net energy Ior a one cycle oI operation oI 50 MW power
plant is 114600.6 kWh.
3. Two-tank
Amount electrical energy require during manuIacturing oI
storage system 0.60 TJ. Amount diesel energy require during
manuIacturing oI storage system 10.5 TJ. Assuming leak rate
oI nitrogen gas is very small. Main component and required
energy is shown in table X.
TABLE X
ENERGY REQUIRED FOR TWO-TANK THERMAL STORAGE
Indirect energy require Ior a single cycle is 0.0588 TJ, energy
in Kilowatt-hour is 16324.8 kWh. Flow rate required Ior
molten salt pump is 0.16 m
3
/s. Tank height is consider as a
head oI the pump 14 m. Pump energy required Ior a single
cycle oI operation 1781.9 kWh. Storage wall is covered with
mineral wool and Ioam glass. Total heat loss Irom the storage
is 17486 kW.
Net energy Ior a one cycle oI operation oI 50 MW power
plant is 35532.7 kWh.
4. Thermocline
Main component and required energy is shown in table XI.
Amount electrical energy require during manuIacturing oI
storage system 0.60 TJ. Amount diesel energy require during
manuIacturing oI storage system 10.5 TJ.
TABLE XI
ENERGY REQUIRED FOR THERMOCLINE THERMAL STORAGE
Indirect energy require Ior a single cycle is 0.0248 TJ, energy
in Kilowatt-hour is 6902.5 kWh. Flow rate required Ior
molten salt pump is 0.16 m
3
/s. Tank height is consider as a
head oI the pump 20 m. Pump energy required Ior a single
cycle oI operation 2460 kWh.
Storage wall is covered with mineral wool and Ioam glass.
Total heat loss Irom the storage is 17569 kW.
Net energy Ior one cycle oI operation oI 50 MW power plant
is 26931.6 kWh.
TABLE XII
ENERGY REQUIRED FOR PCM THERMAL STORAGE
5. Phase change material
Main component and required energy is shown in table XII.
Amount electrical energy require during manuIacturing oI
Material
Expected
LiIe
(Cycle)
Equivalent
Factor
Weight
(MT)
Energy
Required
(MJ/Kg)
Energy
(TJ)
Concrete 10000 1 111677 2.72 |35| 303.76
Graphite
Ioil
10000 1 13.3 1.39 |35| 0.02
Stainless
Steel
10000 1 3954.9 49.97 197.62
Mineral
Wool
3650 3 1499.1 22.4 100.74
Foam
Glass
3650 3 36.67 26 2.86
Wood 10000 1 24.22 7.2 0.17
Thermo
oil
7300 2 9500 8.92 16.95
Nitrogen 0.15 1.67 0.00025
Total Energy (TJ) 622.3
Material
Expected
LiIe
(Cycle)
Equivalent
Factor
Weight
(MT)
Energy
Required
(MJ/kg)
Energy
(TJ)
Molten Salt 10000 1 25600
18.4
|35|,|38|
471.04
Calcium
Silicate
3650|39| 3 48.92 7.62 |41| 1.12
Stainless
Steel
10000 1 417.11 49.97 20.84
Carbon
Steel
10000 1 1357
40.68
|35|
55.2
Mineral
Wool
3650 3 103.3 22.4 6.94
Concrete 10000 1 5140 2.5 12.85
Foam Glass 3650 3 33.1 26 2.58
ReIractory
Brick
3650|40| 3 243.45 7.28 |35| 5.32
Nitrogen 429 1.67 0.72
Total Energy (TJ) 576.61
Material
Expected
liIe
(Cycle)
Equivalent
Factor
Weight
(MT)
Energy
Required
(MJ/kg)
Energy
(TJ)
Silica
Sand
533|4| 19 954.07 2.03 |35| 36.8
Molten
Salt
10000 1 7680 18.4 141.31
Calcium
Silicate
3650 3 24.48 7.62 0.56
Stainless
Steel
10000 1 182.08 49.97 9.1
Carbon
Steel
10000 1 801.9 40.68 32.62
Mineral
Wool
3650 3 57.67 22.4 3.88
Concrete 10000 1 3360 2.5 8.4
Foam
Glass
3650 3 16.06 26 1.25
ReIractory
Brick
3650 3 157.68 7.28 3.44
Nitrogen 28.1 1.67 0.05
Total Energy (TJ) 237.41
Material
Expected
LiIe
(Cycle)
Equivalent
Factor
Weight
(MT)
Energy
Required
(MJ/kg)
Energy
(TJ)
KNO3 10000 1 15863 43 |38| 682.09
Graphite
Ioil
10000 1 12.6 1.39 0.02
Stainless
Steel
10000 1 3019.5 49.97 150.88
Mineral
Wool
3650 3 1420.2 22.4 95.4
Concrete 10000 1 37967 2.72 103.27
Wood 10000 1 22.95 7.2 0.17
Aluminum 10000 1 2463.3 226.6 |35| 558.09
Nitrogen 0.152 1.67 0.00025
Total Energy (TJ) 1590
442
storage system 0.61 TJ. Amount diesel energy require during
manuIacturing oI storage system 10.78 TJ.
Indirect energy require Ior a single cycle is 0.16 TJ, energy in
Kilowatt-hour is 44482 kWh. Pump Ilow rate required is 0.7
m
3
/s, velocity oI synthetic oil is considered 0.5 m/s.
Average pump head is 3 m. Pump energy required Ior a single
cycle operation 790.3 kWh. Storage wall is covered with
mineral wool and Ioam glass. Total heat loss Irom the storage
is 42626.9 kW. Net energy Ior a one cycle oI operation oI 50
MW power plant is 87899 kWh.
Net energy analysis is shown in shown in Iig. 8. Primary
storage energy is minimum Ior thermocline storage. Concrete
storage system has a low primary energy but having
maximum thermal loss.

Fig. 8. Net energy oI each storage system.

VI. CONCLUSION
Based on the cost and net energy analysis oI the storage
systems Iollowing conclusions are drawn:
The requirements Ior the high temperature thermal
storage system are: high energy density, good heat
transIer, stability, high liIetime and low thermal
losses. There is need to develop an eIIicient and
cost-eIIective thermal storage system.
Currently liquid sensible heat storage is most
preIerred storage system Ior solar power plants.
Two-tank thermal storage is most commonly used
storage system.
Concrete and castable ceramics solid sensible heat
storage is low cost and durable storage system,
storage cost Iall in range oI 25-30 $/KWh. Solid
sensible storage system require much bigger ground
area than the any other storage system. Solid
sensible storage has low thermal eIIiciency than
other storage system. It is Iound Irom analysis that
Ior running 50MWe power plant Ior single cycle
concrete storage has a maximum amount net energy.
Comparison shown in table XIII
Latent heat storage is a promising technology,
as it has higher storage density at nearly constant
temperature, but so Iar no commercial high
temperature PCM storage is available, where as
PCM requires maximum amount oI indirect energy
Ior operation.
Levelized electric cost is minimum Ior thermocline
system.
Thermocline system is using dual medium Ior
storage is the most energy eIIicient and cost
eIIective than the other storage system in Iig. 9.
TABLE XIII
OVERALL COMPARISON OF THERMAL STORAGE
Ceramics
Concrete
Two Tanks
PCM
Thermocline
5.00
7.00
9.00
11.00
13.00
15.00
1.00 1.02 1.04 1.06 1.08 1.10 1.12 1.14
Energy (MWh)
C
o
s
t

(
U
S
$
/
M
W
h
)

Fig. 9. Cost Vs energy requirement Ior thermal energy generation.
REFERENCES
|1| R. Tamme, D. Laing, W.D. Steinmann, 'Advanced thermal energy
storage technology Ior parabolic trough. Journal of Solar Energv
Engineering ASME 126, 794800 2004.
|2| J.E. Pacheco, S.K. Showalter, W.J. Kolb, 'Development oI a molten-
salt thermocline thermal storage system Ior parabolic trough plants.
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Castable
Ceramics
Concrete Two-Tank Thermocline PCM
Economics
Storage Cost
(M$)
27.77 26.57 35.05 19.65 30.60
LEC ($/MWh) 33.47 32.29 40.23 25.28 35.88
Net Energy
Heat Loss
(kWh)
45268.13 96326.3 17485.94 17569.17 42626
Indirect
Energy (kWh)
40377.99 17615.7 16324.84 6902.55 44482
Pump Energy
(kWh)
658.57 658.57 1721.89 2459.85 790.28
Total Energy
(kWh)
86304.68 114600 35532.7 26931.6 87899
Delivered
Energy/Total
Energy
0.91 0.88 0.96 0.97 0.91
443
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