Fuzzy Logic Energy Management Strategy of a Multiple Latent Heat Thermal Storage in a Small-Scale Concentrated Solar Power Plant

Roberto Tascioni, Alessia Arteconi, Luca Del Zotto and Luca Cioccolanti
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Roberto Tascioni: DIAEE, Sapienza Università di Roma, 00185 Rome, Italy
Alessia Arteconi: DIISM, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Luca Del Zotto: CREAT, Università Telematica eCampus, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
Luca Cioccolanti: CREAT, Università Telematica eCampus, 22060 Novedrate, Italy

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems allow us to effectively store and release the collected thermal energy from solar thermodynamic plants; however, room for improvements exists to increase their efficiency when in operation. For this reason, in this work, a smart management strategy of an innovative LHTES in a micro-scale concentrated solar combined heat and power plant is proposed and numerically investigated. The novel thermal storage system, as designed and built by the partners within the EU funded Innova MicroSolar project, is subdivided into six modules and consists of 3.8 tons of nitrate solar salt kNO 3 /NaNO 3 , whose melting temperature is in the range 216 ÷ 223 °C. In this study, the partitioning of the storage system on the performance of the integrated plant is evaluated by applying a smart energy management strategy based on a fuzzy logic approach. Compared to the single thermal energy storage (TES) configuration, the proposed strategy allows a reduction in storage thermal losses and improving of the plant’s overall efficiency especially in periods with limited solar irradiance. The yearly dynamic simulations carried out show that the electricity produced by the combined heat and power plant is increased by about 5%, while the defocus thermal losses in the solar plant are reduced by 30%.

Keywords: fuzzy logic; phase change material energy storage system; micro combined heat and power plant; renewable energy systems; smart management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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