Operational optimization of an integrated solar combined cycle under practical time-dependent constraints

Philip G. Brodrick, Adam R. Brandt and Louis J. Durlofsky

Energy, 2017, vol. 141, issue C, 1569-1584

Abstract: Integrated solar combined cycles (ISCCs) need to be able to handle some of the most dynamic operating conditions of any power generation system in order to provide the flexibility of a natural gas combustion turbine while simultaneously utilizing variable incident solar irradiation. Yet to date, most work on ISCC design has focused on high-level treatments of system viability and potential impact, without thorough consideration of system operations. In this work, a computationally efficient ISCC model is constructed that includes detailed modeling of the heat recovery steam generator that links the natural gas and solar thermal systems. The model is validated against a model in the literature, and then used to perform computational optimization of the facility operations. Critically, a wide variety of practical system constraints are considered at each time step evaluated in order to ensure system feasibility under realistic conditions. It is shown that under different operating modes the ISCC design examined displays similar emission rates, yet significantly different profit ranges. A marked increase in the operating flexibility of the ISCC is observed when the outlet temperature of the solar heat transfer fluid is allowed to vary over the course of the day.

Keywords: ISCC; HRSG; Solar thermal; Hybrid energy; Systems analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217319084
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:141:y:2017:i:c:p:1569-1584

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.11.059

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().