HPS2 - Demonstration of Molten-Salt in Parabolic Trough Plants -Simulation Results from System Advisor Model

Abstract

High-Performance-Solar-2 (HPS2) is a parabolic trough demo project that is being built by a European consortium of research institutions (German Aerospace Center DLR, University of Évora) and companies (TSK-Flagsol, Rioglass, innogy SE, Steinmüller Engineering, Yara, eltherm) on the Evora Molten Salt Platform (EMSP). The purpose of this plant is to demonstrate the viability of using molten salts as heat transfer fluid in parabolic trough power plants, while performing research and development on such technology. Commissioning of the power plant is foreseen for the end of 2020. Meanwhile, a theoretical study consisting of an annual simulation with NREL’s System Advisor Model (SAM) has been performed to support consolidate the test plan of the platform with possible operation strategies to avoid freezing of the salts.