Thermal storage of sensible heat using concrete modules in solar power plants

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 103; pp. 303 - 315
• Main Authors: Salomoni, Valentina A., Majorana, Carmelo E., Giannuzzi, Giuseppe M., Miliozzi, Adio, Di Maggio, Rosa, Girardi, Fabrizio, Mele, Domenico, Lucentini, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2014; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Concrete; Concrete mixing; Durability; Electric power plants; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Finite element analysis; Natural energy; Non classical power plants; Photovoltaic power plants; R&D; Research & development; Sensible heat; Simulation; Solar energy; Solar thermal conversion; Solar thermal power plants; Thermal storage; Transport and storage of energy; Sensible heat; Durability; Concrete; Thermal storage; Performance evaluation; Production system; Prototype; Instruments; Thermal energy storage; Instrumentation; Field experiment; Optimization; Research and development; Finite element method; Solar power plant; System simulation
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2014.02.022

•Guidelines for designing a concrete storage module of a CSP plant are proposed.•Simplified procedures as well as simulation techniques are adopted and results compared.•Ongoing development of an appropriate concrete mixing.•Planned optimisation of concrete chemical–physical and durability performances.•Further module integration within a CSP system.
Guidelines for designing a concrete storage module and for its integration into a solar plant, respecting constraints linked both to an adequate solar field operation and to the production system based on ORC, are described. A series of simplified procedures are developed to be used for a first module design and more sophisticated (even if more expensive) simulation techniques via the Finite Element Method are checked and upgraded. Once the ongoing experimental phase on a scaled storage prototype at the ENEA site of Casaccia has been concluded, the obtained data will be used for completing both the setup of the calculation instruments and the R&D activity dealing with the development of an appropriate concrete mixing, optimising its chemical–physical and durability performances, and with the module integration within a CSP system.