Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Power Tower”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Spaceport aurora: An orbiting transportation node

With recent announcements of the development of permanently staffed facilities on the Moon and Mars, the national space plan is in need of an infrastructure system for transportation and maintenance. A project team at the University of Houston College of Architecture and the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture, recently examined components for a low Earth orbit (LEO) transportation node that supports a lunar build-up scenario. Areas of investigation included identifying transportation node functions, identifying existing space systems and subsystems, analyzing variable orbits, determining logistics strategies for maintenance, and investigating assured crew return systems. The information resulted in a requirements definition document, from which the team then addressed conceptual designs for a LEO transportation node. The primary design drivers included: orbital stability, maximizing human performance and safety, vehicle maintainability, and modularity within existing space infrastructure. For orbital stability, the power tower configuration provides a gravity gradient stabilized facility and serves as the backbone for the various facility components. To maximize human performance, human comfort is stressed through zoning of living and working activities, maintaining a consistent local vertical orientation, providing crew interaction and viewing areas and providing crew return vehicles. Vehicle maintainability is accomplished through dual hangars, dual work cupolas, work modules, telerobotics and a fuel depot. Modularity is incorporated using Space Station Freedom module diameter, Space Station Freedom standard racks, and interchangeable interior partitions. It is intended that the final design be flexible and adaptable to provide a facility prototype that can service multiple mission profiles using modular space systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

The Space Station: From concept to evolving reality

This review surveys the origin and conceptual evolution of the space station. It opens with U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan's announcement that one would be developed during the coming decade, continues with an assessment by the Space Science Board of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences of requirements for and potential benefits of a space station, and offers NASA's rationale for its development, construction, and utilization. The review examines early space station concepts, beginning with Edward Everell Hale's Brick Moon of 1869-1870 and going on to proposals by space pioneers Tsiolkovskii of Russia, Oberth of Germany, Noordung and von Pirquet of Austria, and others. Considerable attention is focused on designs put forward during the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's by individuals, by NASA investigators, and by industrial and other contractors. Langley's rotating hexagon, the space base configurations, and other designs are reviewed and strategies are considered for resolving the problem of integrating a multidisciplinary research program with varying and sometimes incompatible engineering and design requirements. The article describes the power tower and dual keel configurations of the 1980's. The interdisciplinary nature of the space station is evident throughout.

Fries, Sylvia Doughty↗
NASA NTRS2003

Electrical-Impedance-Based Ice-Thickness Gauges

Langley Research Center has developed electrical-impedance-based ice-thickness gauges and is seeking partners and collaborators to commercialize them. When used as parts of active monitoring and diagnostic systems, these gauges make it possible to begin deicing or to take other protective measures before ice accretes to dangerous levels. These gauges are inexpensive, small, and simple to produce. They can be adapted to use on a variety of stationary and moving structures that are subject to accumulation of ice. Examples of such structures include aircraft, cars, trucks, ships, buildings, towers, power lines (see figure), power-generating equipment, water pipes, freezer compartments, and cooling coils. A gauge of this type includes a temperature sensor and two or more pairs of electrically insulated conductors embedded in a surface on which ice could accumulate. The electrical impedances of the pairs of conductors vary with the thickness of any ice that may be present. Somewhat more specifically, when the pairs of conductors are spaced appropriately, the ratio between their impedances is indicative of the thickness of the ice. Therefore, the gauge includes embedded electronic circuits that measure the electrical impedances, plus circuits that process the combination of temperature and impedance measurements to determine whether ice is present and, if so, how thick it is. Of course, in the processing of the impedance measurements, the temperature measurements help the circuitry to distinguish between liquid water and ice. The basic design of a gauge of this type can be adapted to local conditions. For example, if there is a need to monitor ice over a wide range of thickness, then the gauge can include more than two sets of conductors having various spacings.

Weinstein, Leonard↗
DOE OSTI2020

Technical Performance of Refractory Liners for Molten Chloride Salt Thermal Energy Storage Systems

A chloride-based molten-salt system that uses a ternary blend of MgCl2/KCl/NaCl is investigated to provide higher temperature thermal energy storage capability. Despite higher thermal stability, molten chlorides present several unique challenges, including the design of internal refractory-ceramic liners to prevent the corrosion and thermal stress of alloy tank shells. This work discusses issues and potential solutions related to containment of molten chloride salt, specifically the optimization of the refractory material at the molten salt interface (hot face). The down-selected hot face candidate limits permeation of salt through the material and forms a highly stable secondary surface phase in equilibrium with the molten salt. A mortar is created using the corrosion resistant hot face brick. Brick and mortar composite are subjected to mechanical stress/strain analysis, in order to calculate composite material properties and better inform thermomechanical models. The U.S. Department of Energy Generation 3 (DOE Gen3) program seeks to develop higher efficiency CSP plants that can provide cost-competitive, flexible power in the U.S. electric grid. The proposed Gen3 Liquid Pathway CSP plant closely resembles the configuration of current nitrate salt power towers with two-tank storage (Gen2). The differences between Gen2 and Gen3 include the types of compatible materials used in salt storage tank construction. Stainless steel loses strength at Gen3 temperatures, and although nickel superalloys would be capable of withstanding sustained high temperatures, these materials are prohibitively expensive at scale. Uninsulated tank shells also pose a significant risk as common steels are highly susceptible to chemical attack from molten chloride salt. To address these concerns, refractory-ceramic based containment materials are proposed to line the inside of the hot and cold storage tanks. In doing so, stainless or carbon steel shells may be used in construction depending on the level of insulation provided. The composition of the internal liner requires careful consideration to maximize the efficacy of multiple parameters including corrosion resistance, strength at operating temperature, durability, and cost. This is particularly true for the material at the interface with the salt, known as the "hot face", which is responsible for protecting the insulating layers between the tank shell and the hot face brick layer. The molten salt in this system is superheated over 300 °C above its freeze temperature. Therefore, unlike other industrial processes which use refractory-lined vessels, it is not expected that a freeze plane will develop in the hot face. Therefore, the hot face must be designed to withstand chemical corrosion and inhibit permeation of molten salt into the insulating layers. A down selection was performed to identify a hot face candidate best equipped to maintain thermal, mechanical, and chemical integrity when exposed to molten salt over extended periods of time. Long-duration chemical capability experiments were conducted with the down selected hot face refractory fully immersed in molten chloride salt for up to 3000 hours. The average salt penetration does not exceed 100 microns. When extrapolated to 20 and 30 years of continuous exposure, the expected salt penetration depth is approximately 2.0 mm and 2.9 mm, respectively. A magnesium-rich secondary phases develops at the salt/refractory interface. X-ray diffraction identifies the material as forsterite (Mg2SiO4), which is reported to form synthetically in molten chloride salt solutions. These results suggest the selected hot face will adequately inhibit salt permeation. While there is optimism that the hot face brick will inhibit salt permeation, mortar joints are typically the weakest point of a refractory brick liner. From a thermochemical perspective, differing thermal expansion coefficients may result in the mortar and brick to grow independent of each other, creating gaps through which molten salt can penetrate. To address this issue, NREL has developed an in-house mortar composed of the down selected hot face brick that has been shown to be compatible with the salt. Compressive stress/strain analyses have been performed on the brick/ mortar composites to generate stress/strain curves. Modulus of elasticity and Poisson's ratio of the composite may be calculated from the stress/strain curves, in order to provide more representative data to finite element mechanical models for accurate approximation of stress on the tank shell and the amount of thermal expansion expected within the tank liner.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Studying Wind Loading on CSP Collectors to Improve Performance and Reliability

Electricity generation through Concentrating Solar-thermal Power (CSP) adds the advantage of thermal energy storage and heat production. CSP collector costs constitute nearly one-third of total plant costs. Managing wind loading, especially dynamic wind loading caused by the turbulent wind flow, is a significant design challenge. Traditional collector designs rely on wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations, which do not fully capture dynamic effects. Here, we provide an overview of NREL's activities on wind loading on CSP collectors, aiming to improve their reliability and cost-efficiency. We present insights from field measurements at operational parabolic trough and power-tower CSP plants. Over two years, we measured turbulent wind fields and resulting structural loads in a parabolic trough plant, revealing wind, turbulence, and collector field interactions. Similar measurements are ongoing at the Crescent Dunes heliostat field. These campaigns show how atmospheric turbulence, wind direction, and collector orientation affect dynamic wind loading. Upwind collector structures can generate turbulent structures, causing fluctuating loads at downstream collectors, impacting fatigue lifetime and optical efficiency. Preliminary results indicate that interior collectors experience higher turning moments than those at the edges, suggesting higher drive wear. At Crescent Dunes, we use instrumented heliostats at the field's edge and interior to study the translation of turbulent wind to dynamic structural loads. The campaign is still ongoing, and we will present first findings. Another focus of our work is tying the experimental wind loading findings to optical performance of the collectors, using simulation tools. For example, we derive torsional errors of the parabolic troughs - the angular offset from the sun position along a collector row. This error is impacted by wind-induced mirror deformations. Future work will focus on continuing the measurement efforts and combining them with computational fluid dynamic simulations. By providing detailed field measurements and validated models, our efforts aim to enhance understanding of wind loading on CSP collectors, improving their structural integrity and optical performance.

CSP↗
DOE OSTI2021

Demonstrating SolarPILOT’s Python API Through Heliostat Optimal Aimpoint Strategy Use Case

SolarPILOT is a software package that generates solar field layouts and characterizes the optical performance of concentrating solar power (CSP) tower systems. SolarPILOT was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a stand-alone desktop application but has also been incorporated into NREL’s1 System Advisor Model (SAM) in a simplified format. Prior means for user interaction with SolarPILOT have included the application’s graphical interface, the SAM routines with limited configurability, and through a built-in scripting language called “LK.” This paper presents a new, full-featured, Python-based application programmable interface (API) for SolarPILOT, which we hereafter refer to as CoPylot. CoPylot provides access to all SolarPILOT’s capabilities to generate and characterize power tower CSP systems seamlessly through Python. Supported capabilities include (i) creating and destroying a model instance with message reporting tools; (ii) accessing and setting any SolarPILOT variable including custom land boundaries for field layouts; (iii) programmatically managing receiver and heliostat objects with varied attributes for systems with multiple receiver or heliostat types; (iv) generating, assigning, and modifying solar field layouts including the ability to set individual heliostat locations, aimpoints, soiling rates, and reflectivity levels; (v) simulating solar field performance; (vi) returning detailed results describing performance of individual heliostats, the aggregate field, and receiver flux distribution; and, (vii) exporting Python-based model instances to multiple file formats. CoPylot enables Python users to perform detailed CSP tower analysis utilizing either the Hermite expansion technique (analytical) or the SolTrace ray-tracing engine. In addition to CoPylot’s functionality, Python users have access to the over 100,000 open-source libraries to develop, analyze, optimize, and visualize power tower CSP research. This enables CSP researchers to perform analysis that was previously not possible through SolarPILOT’s existing interfaces. This paper discusses the capabilities of CoPylot and presents a use case wherein we demonstrate optimal solar field aiming strategies.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Characterizing the Impact of Heliostat Size, Focus Method, and Optical Error on Concentrating Solar Tower Systems

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) tower systems use heliostat fields to direct solar energy to a central receiver. The efficiency of the heliostat field is crucial for achieving thermal generation targets and is also the largest cost component, making up 30-40% of total project costs. Developers face a tradeoff: reducing heliostat costs may decrease optical performance and increase land use, while improving performance could raise manufacturing costs (through higher precision). The optimal design depends on land, labor, and manufacturing costs. Additionally, inherent performance limitations exist - optical errors result in larger solar images as heliostats move farther from the receiver, increasing spillage and attenuation losses. Ultimately, there exists a point where receiver design power can no longer be achieved at design conditions for a given solar field area. This point depends on key heliostat field design parameters including field layout, heliostats size, focus method, and heliostat optical error. In this work, we explore and characterize the performance trade-offs between heliostat size, focus method, and optical error using Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations using NREL's high performance computing resources. The goal of this fundamental investigation is to understand practical heliostat design performance impacts that can be used to produce more cost-effective heliostat fields while still achieving plant thermal generation targets.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Demonstrating SolarPILOT's Python API Through Heliostat Optimal Aimpoint Strategy Use Case: Preprint

SolarPILOT is a software package that generates heliostat field layouts and characterizes the optical performance of concentrating solar power (CSP) tower systems. SolarPILOT was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a stand-alone desktop application but has also been incorporated into NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) in a simplified format. Prior means for user interaction with SolarPILOT have included the application's graphical interface, the SAM routines with limited configurability, and through a built-in scripting language called "LK." This paper presents a new, full-featured Python-based application programmable interface (API) for SolarPILOT, which we hereafter refer to as CoPylot. CoPylot provides access to all SolarPILOT's capabilities to generate and characterize power tower CSP systems seamlessly through Python. Supported capabilities include (i) creating and destroying a model instances with message reporting tools; (ii) accessing and setting any SolarPILOT variable including custom land boundaries for field layout; (iii) programmatically managing receiver and heliostat objects with varied attributes for systems with multiple receiver or heliostat types; (iv) generating, assigning, and modifying heliostat field layouts including the ability to set individual heliostat locations, aimpoints, soiling rates, and reflectivity levels; (v) simulating heliostat field performance; (vi) returning detailed results describing performance of individual heliostats, the aggregate field, and receiver flux; and, (vii) exporting Python-based model instances to multiple file formats. CoPylot enables Python users to perform detailed tower CSP analysis utilizing either the Hermite expansion technique (analytical) or the SolTrace ray-tracing engine. In addition to CoPylot's functionality, Python users have access to the over 100,000 open-source libraries to develop, analyze, optimize, and visualize CSP tower research.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Towers: Critical Initial Infrastructure for the Moon, Such as a Power Module Support

Towers are an efficient structure commonly used to elevate systems against a gravity field, such as above the surface of a planet or the Moon. Towers can be used to elevate antennas, transmitters and sensors for communication, navigation, and observation infrastructure in support of surface operations. Near the Lunar poles, elevation of rotating solar panels enables nearly continuous panel illumination for solar power production despite the Sun remaining near the horizon year-round. Further, once technology is developed for tower assembly, this same technology can be extended to the assembly of a variety of structures including rocket blast containment shields, bridges, shelters, and habitats from either Earth-sourced or Lunar-sourced structural members. Environmental factors on the Lunar surface are vastly different than those found on Earth and have significant impact on the design of towers. Towers designed for the Lunar surface have no heritage nor Earth analog. The designs discussed herein are therefore breaking new ground creating a fundamentally new class of structures outside of current experience and intuition. The purpose of this paper is to: a) describe the unique environmental factors affecting tower design on the Lunar surface compared to Earth-based systems, b) evaluate two structural forms for the tower; telescoping tubes and an assembled truss, as well as c)provide recommendations on when each structural form is most suitable. A major contribution presented in the current paper is to provide parametric plots and supporting equations of mass and volume versus module power level and blanket height above the Lunar surface for the solar array application, to enable system level studies of optimum power module distribution and size. A secondary contribution are plots of the mass and volume of aluminum or structural glass required for assembled truss towers formed from Lunar derived structural members. An objective of achieving 1 MW of total power has been used to enable comparison of structural forms, because the total mass of solar arrays is consistent. It will be shown that for moderate module sizes, up to ~50 kW power modules, based on a telescoping tube tower have advantages, but for power modules from 50 kW to 200 kW an assembled truss tower can be created with half to one third of the tube tower mass. More significantly, when shipped from Earth, an assembled truss tower can be packed into 1/14th to 1/25th of the tube tower volume. Truss designs in the 100 kW to 200 kW range will be shown to be a favorable when assembled from either graphite-epoxy angles shipped from Earth or aluminum angles fabricated from Lunar materials. 50 kW towers are an attractive choice for both a telescoping or assembled tower with the solar arrays elevated 10 m above the Lunar surface, while increased solar array elevation favors 100 kW to 200 kW power modules.

assembly↗
DOE OSTI2025

Deployment Potential of Concentrating Solar Power Technologies in California

As states within the United States respond to future grid development goals, there is a growing demand for reliable and resilient nighttime generation that can be addressed by low-cost, long-duration energy storage solutions. This report studies the potential of including concentrating solar power (CSP) in the technology mix to support California’s goals as defined in Senate Bill 100. A joint agency report study that determined potential pathways to achieve the renewable portfolio standard set by the bill did not include CSP, and our work provides information that could be used as a follow-up. This study uses a capacity expansion model configured to have nodal spatial fidelity in California and balancing-area fidelity in the Western Interconnection outside of California. The authors discovered that by applying current technology cost projections CSP fulfills nearly 15% of the annual load while representing just 6% of total installed capacity in 2045, replacing approximately 30 GWe of wind, solar PV, and standalone batteries compared to a scenario without CSP included. The deployment of CSP in the results is sensitive to the technology’s cost, which highlights the importance of meeting cost targets in 2030 and beyond to enable the technology’s potential contribution to California’s carbon reduction goals.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Demonstrating solarpilot ’s Python Application Programmable Interface Through Heliostat Optimal Aimpoint Strategy Use Case

solarpilot is a software package that generates solar field layouts and characterizes the optical performance of concentrating solar power (CSP) tower systems. solarpilot was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a stand-alone desktop application but has also been incorporated into NREL’s System Advisor Model (SAM) in a simplified format. Prior means for user interaction with solarpilot have included the application’s graphical interface, the SAM routines with limited configurability, and through a built-in scripting language called “LK.” This article presents a new, full-featured, python-based application programmable interface (API) for solarpilot, which we hereafter refer to as CoPylot. CoPylot enables python users to perform detailed CSP tower analysis utilizing either the Hermite expansion technique (analytical) or the SolTrace ray-tracing engine. CoPylot’s enables CSP researchers to perform analysis that was previously not possible through solarpilot’s existing interfaces. This article discusses the capabilities of CoPylot and presents a use case wherein we populate a model that obtains optimal solar field aiming strategies.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Status Quo and Gap Analysis of Heliostat Field Deployment Processes for Concentrating Solar Tower Plants

In this study, deployment of the solar field of a concentrating solar power plant is one of many factors that are integral to the success of a project. Knowledge transfer from outside the industry is limited due to the unique nature of heliostats, which redirect sunlight to a receiver with high precision while maintaining a high level of reflectivity. Moreover, learning from project to project can be limited due to the site-specific nature of projects, as the market includes several developers, each with their own unique design. In this paper, we discuss the state of the art in heliostat field deployment. We cover all the key aspects of deployment from project assessment to a fully functioning system, which include site selection, layout development, supply chain, assembly, site preparation and construction, calibration, and operations and maintenance. We then perform a gap analysis on field deployment and recommend priorities for future research.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1980

Stability of large horizontal-axis axisymmetric wind turbines

The stability of large horizontal axis, axi-symmetric, power producing wind turbines was examined. The analytical model used included the dynamic coupling of the rotor, tower and power generating system. The aerodynamic loading was derived from blade element theory. Each rotor blade was permitted tow principal elastic bending degrees of freedom, one degree of freedom in torsion and controlled pitch as a rigid body. The rotor hub was mounted in a rigid nacelle which may yaw freely or in a controlled manner. The tower can bend in two principal directions and may twist. Also, the rotor speed can vary and may induce perturbation reactions within the power generating equipment. Stability was determined by the eigenvalues of a set of linearized constant coefficient differential equations. All results presented are based on a 3 bladed, 300 ft. diameter, 2.5 megawatt wind turbine. Some of the parameters varied were; wind speed, rotor speed structural stiffness and damping, the effective stiffness and damping of the power generating system and the principal bending directions of the rotor blades. Unstable or weakly stable behavior can be caused by aerodynamic forces due to motion of the rotor blades and tower in the plane of rotation or by mechanical coupling between the rotor system and the tower.

Hirschbein, M. S.↗
DOE OSTI2020

AATTENUATION—The Atmospheric Attenuation Model for CSP Tower Plants: A Look-Up Table for Operational Implementation

Attenuation of solar radiation between the receiver and the heliostat field in concentrated solar power (CSP) tower plants can reduce the overall system performance significantly. The attenuation varies strongly with time and the average attenuation at different sites might also vary strongly from each other. If no site specific attenuation data is available, the optimal plant design cannot be determined and rough estimations of the attenuation effect are required leading to high uncertainties of yield analysis calculations. The attenuation is caused mainly by water vapor content and aerosol particles in the lower atmospheric layer above ground. Although several on-site measurement systems have been developed during recent years, attenuation data sets are usually not available to be included during the plant project development. An Atmospheric Attenuation (AATTENUATION) model to derive the atmospheric transmittance between a heliostat and receiver on the basis of common direct normal irradiance (DNI), temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure measurements was developed and validated by the authors earlier. The model allows the accurate estimation of attenuation for sites with low attenuation and gives an estimation of the attenuation for less clear sites. However, the site-dependent coefficients of the AATTENUATION model had to be developed individually for each site of interest, which required time-consuming radiative transfer simulations, considering the exact location and altitude, as well as the pre-dominant aerosol type at the location. This strongly limited the application of the model despite its typically available input data. In this manuscript, a look-up table (LUT) is presented which enables the application of the AATTENUATION model at the site of interest without the necessity to perform the according complex radiative transfer calculations for each site individually. This enables the application of the AATTENUATION model for virtually all resource assessments for tower plants and in an operational mode in real time within plant monitoring systems around the world. The LUT also facilitates the generation of solar attenuation maps on the basis of long-term meteorological data sets which can be considered during resource assessment for CSP tower plant projects. The LUTs are provided together with this manuscript as supplementary files. The LUT for the AATTENUATION model was developed for a solar zenith angle (SZA) grid of 1°, an altitude grid of 100 m, 7 different standard aerosol types and the standard AFGL atmospheres for mid-latitudes and the tropics. The LUT was tested against the original version of the AATTENUATION model at 4 sites in Morocco and Spain, and it was found that the additional uncertainty introduced by the application of the LUT is negligible. With the information of latitude, longitude, altitude above mean sea level, DNI, relative humidity (RH), ambient temperature (Tair), and barometric pressure (bp), the attenuation can be now derived easily for each site of interest.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1980

Stability of large horizontal-axis axisymmetric wind turbines

The stability of large horizontal-axis, axisymmetric, power producing wind turbines is examined within the framework of an analytical model which includes dynamic coupling of the rotor, tower, and power generating system. The aerodynamic loading is derived from blade element theory. Stability is determined by the eigenvalues of a set of linearized constant-coefficient differential equations. All results presented are based on a 3-bladed, 300-ft diameter, 2.0-MW wind turbine. It is shown that unstable or weakly stable behavior can be caused by aerodynamic forces due to motion of the rotor blades and tower in the plane of rotation or by mechanical coupling between the rotor system and the tower.

Hirschbein, M. S.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Techno-Economic Analysis of CSP Incorporating sCO2 Brayton Power Cycles: Trade-Off Between Cost and Performance

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, thanks to the implementation of cost-competitive thermal energy storage, represent a dispatchable zero-emission alternative to traditional fossil fuel power plants. Next generation solar towers are expected to adopt high temperature receivers (>700 degrees C) coupled to sCO2-based power blocks, which optimal design is generally pushed towards the maximum cycle efficiency, often neglecting the economic impact with the justification that the main share of the capital cost is represented by the heliostat field. As result, the scientific literature lacks in comprehensive studies on techno-economic evaluation of CSP+sCO2 power plants addressing the important correlation that exists between system cost and performances. This work provides a preliminary techno-economic analysis of a solar power tower comparing four different cycle configurations for the sCO2 power block. Results have been reported on a Pareto front, highlighting the tradeoff between the plant investment cost and the solar-to-electricity plant efficiency. The trends of the optimization variables and cycle results have been reported to give useful insights about proper assumptions for the sCO2 power block design. The recompressed cycle with intercooling resulted as the most promising configuration and it has been further analyzed through a comparison of different solutions on the Pareto front. The cost breakdown of the sCO2 power block has been reported to highlight which components have the greatest impact on the overall plant cost and how they vary along the optimal solutions front. Eventually, the optimization has been repeated introducing a correlation to compute the turbomachinery isentropic efficiencies, to investigate their effect on the techno- economic analysis.

concentrated solar power↗
DOE OSTI2026

An Uncertainty-Informed and High-Fidelity Performance Forecasting Framework for Heliostat Fields

Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) tower systems employ heliostat fields to direct solar energy to a central receiver, which then transfers the heat either directly to a thermal process (e.g., steam production) or to a thermal energy storage system for future use. Heliostat fields compose a significant proportion of the project costs of a CST tower system and the performance of the heliostats determines a plant's productivity at a given location. While CST characterization tools such as SolarPILOT and System Advisor Model (SAM) include a large collection of inputs that influence the performance of a CST tower system, many are uncertain prior to the development of the project and may have a significant impact on the overall energy delivery and profitability of a project; moreover, the fidelity of these models under default conditions may be insufficient to determine the value of component improvements such as those under development in the Heliostat Consortium. This work introduces a Monte Carlo simulation framework that incorporates uncertainty in key performance parameters to generate confidence intervals and percentile estimates for a CST solar field's energy delivery.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗