Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities
This study compares the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of parabolic trough solar power plants using thermal oil or two different molten salt mixtures located at three different sites and with different thermal storage capacities. The necessity of using appropriate model approaches for the temperatu...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/326 |
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| author | Jürgen Dersch Michael Karl Wittmann Tobias Hirsch |
| author_facet | Jürgen Dersch Michael Karl Wittmann Tobias Hirsch |
| author_sort | Jürgen Dersch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study compares the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of parabolic trough solar power plants using thermal oil or two different molten salt mixtures located at three different sites and with different thermal storage capacities. The necessity of using appropriate model approaches for the temperatures along a loop of the solar field is discussed, as well as the utilization of heat from thermal storage for freeze protection of the molten salt plants. The ternary salt mixture with a lower temperature limit of 170 °C and an upper temperature limit of 500 °C shows the lowest LCOE for all sites and almost all investigated storage capacities. Molten salts as heat transfer fluids are particularly favorable for sites with high irradiation and plants with large storage capacities of more than six full load hours. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7cb9f363036641e7b26f324e89702093 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-7cb9f363036641e7b26f324e897020932025-01-24T13:31:03ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-01-0118232610.3390/en18020326Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage CapacitiesJürgen Dersch0Michael Karl Wittmann1Tobias Hirsch2German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne, GermanyGerman Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, GermanyGerman Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, GermanyThis study compares the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of parabolic trough solar power plants using thermal oil or two different molten salt mixtures located at three different sites and with different thermal storage capacities. The necessity of using appropriate model approaches for the temperatures along a loop of the solar field is discussed, as well as the utilization of heat from thermal storage for freeze protection of the molten salt plants. The ternary salt mixture with a lower temperature limit of 170 °C and an upper temperature limit of 500 °C shows the lowest LCOE for all sites and almost all investigated storage capacities. Molten salts as heat transfer fluids are particularly favorable for sites with high irradiation and plants with large storage capacities of more than six full load hours.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/326parabolic troughmolten saltlevelized cost of energyfreeze protection |
| spellingShingle | Jürgen Dersch Michael Karl Wittmann Tobias Hirsch Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities Energies parabolic trough molten salt levelized cost of energy freeze protection |
| title | Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities |
| title_full | Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities |
| title_short | Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities |
| title_sort | comparison of molten salts and thermal oil in parabolic trough power plants for different sites and different storage capacities |
| topic | parabolic trough molten salt levelized cost of energy freeze protection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/326 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jurgendersch comparisonofmoltensaltsandthermaloilinparabolictroughpowerplantsfordifferentsitesanddifferentstoragecapacities AT michaelkarlwittmann comparisonofmoltensaltsandthermaloilinparabolictroughpowerplantsfordifferentsitesanddifferentstoragecapacities AT tobiashirsch comparisonofmoltensaltsandthermaloilinparabolictroughpowerplantsfordifferentsitesanddifferentstoragecapacities |