Demonstration of 3.5 MWth Parabolic Trough with Ternary Molten Salt at the Évora Molten Salt Platform

Abstract

Commercial solar thermal parabolic trough power plants use thermal oil as a heat transfer medium in the solar field. Within the framework of the HPS2 research project, funded by the BMWK (German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and industry partners, the use of molten salt as heat transfer fluid (HTF) in the solar field is demonstrated, which could decrease levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) for parabolic through plants by about -20 %. After the successful completion of the plant construction, the HPS2 demonstration plant was commissioned in summer 2021 and has since been operated for more than 3,700 h, at up to 500 °C jointly by the University of Évora, DLR and TSK Flagsol.