Techno-economic evaluation of the performance of an innovative rotary disk receiver concept in a CSP power plant

Abstract

This study evaluates the thermal performance of an innovative discs receiver and models its effect in a CSP plant. Energetic and economic results were compared with a foam receiver developed in the European project CAPTure. The study consists of two parts, on the one hand, it treats the simulation of a CFD model of the innovative disk receiver, from which the thermal efficiency versus air outlet temperature curve was obtained, necessary to feed the second part of the study. This thermal efficiency was compared with the performance of a foam receiver. On the other hand, systemlevel simulations of a CSP multi tower plant are performed in order to obtain the effect of this efficiency-air outlet temperature curve on the overall energetic and economic performance. The study compares the LCOE and the yearly generation of the plant with the innovative discs receiver with that of the foam receiver. Results show the potential in economic and energetic terms of the new receiver in comparison to conventional foam receivers.