Adjustment and validation of a simulation tool for CSP plants based on parabolic trough technology

Abstract

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants play a major role in the newest renewable technologies as they are the only ones with cost-effective possibility of energy store. In this context, it is of major importance to have the convenient tools to predict the behavior of the CSP plants before acting. For this reason, a program which can simulate with accuracy and quickness the behavior of CSP plants was created. The validation process is a must step in any simulation program development, as it provides the reliability and usefulness of such tool and is a fundamental activity to set the input parameters for a successful model performance. The present work presents the validation process carried out for a simulation tool especially designed for the energy yield assessment of concentrating solar plants based on parabolic through (PT) technology. The validation has been carried out by comparing the model estimations with real data collected from a commercial CSP plant. In order to adjust the model parameters used for the simulation, 12 different days were selected among one-year of operational data measured at the real plant. The 12 days were simulated and the estimations compared with the measured data, focusing on the most important variables from the simulation point of view: temperatures, pressures and mass flow of the solar field, gross power, parasitic power, and net power delivered by the plant. Based on these 12 days, the key parameters for simulating the model were properly fixed and the simulation of a whole year performed. The results obtained for a complete year simulation showed very good agreement for the gross and net electric total production. The estimations for these magnitudes show a 1.47% and 2.02% BIAS respectively. The results proved that the simulation software describes with great accuracy the real operation of the power plant and correctly reproduces its transient behavior.