An opportunity for increasing the parabolic solar power plant efficiency is substituting the actual subcritical Rankine power cycles with the innovative s-CO2 Brayton cycles. In this paper, three configurations are assessed: the recompression cycle (RC), the partial cooling with recompression cycle (PCRC), and the recompression with main compression intercooling cycle (RCMCI), with one reheating stage. The thermodynamic parameters are optimized with three algorithms: SUBPLEX, UOBYQA, and NEWUOA, and the results validated with thermoflow Software. The parabolic troughs and linear Fresnel solar collectors are studied with different heat transfer fluids (HTFs): Solar Salt, HITEC XL, Therminol-VP1, Syltherm 800, and Therminol 75. The dual-loop solar field (SF), combining thermal oil and molten salt (MS) in the same solar plant, is also analyzed. The plant power output and plant energy efficiency are translated into SF aperture area and cost at design point. From the point of view of the plant efficiency and SF cost, the PTC and LF solar collector with Solar Salt as HTF coupled to a s-CO2 Brayton RCMCI cycle is selected as the optimum design solution and compared with the actual PTC Rankine solar plant performance at design point. The total recuperator conductance (UA) plays an important role in optimizing the plant performance, limited by the minimum heat exchangers (HX) pinch point. The UA increment could compensate the HX pressure drop and the compressor inlet temperature (CIT) increment, both impacting very negatively in the s-CO2 plant performance.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
December 2017
Research-Article
Thermodynamic Optimization of Supercritical CO2 Brayton Power Cycles Coupled to Line-Focusing Solar Fields
Luis Coco Enríquez,
Luis Coco Enríquez
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Javier Muñoz-Antón,
Javier Muñoz-Antón
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
José María Martínez-Val Peñalosa
José María Martínez-Val Peñalosa
Professor
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Luis Coco Enríquez
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Javier Muñoz-Antón
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
José María Martínez-Val Peñalosa
Professor
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Energy Engineering Department,
Technical University of Madrid UPM,
Madrid 28040, Spain
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received February 17, 2017; final manuscript received June 11, 2017; published online September 12, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Marc Röger.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Dec 2017, 139(6): 061005 (8 pages)
Published Online: September 12, 2017
Article history
Received:
February 17, 2017
Revised:
June 11, 2017
Citation
Enríquez, L. C., Muñoz-Antón, J., and Peñalosa, J. M. M. (September 12, 2017). "Thermodynamic Optimization of Supercritical CO2 Brayton Power Cycles Coupled to Line-Focusing Solar Fields." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. December 2017; 139(6): 061005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037381
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Analysis of Erosion of Surfaces in Falling Particle Concentrating Solar Power
J. Sol. Energy Eng (April 2025)
Related Articles
S-Ethane Brayton Power Conversion Systems for Concentrated Solar Power Plant
J. Sol. Energy Eng (February,2016)
Viability Assessment of a Concentrated Solar Power Tower With a Supercritical CO 2 Brayton Cycle Power Plant
J. Sol. Energy Eng (October,2019)
Modeling of Solar Power Plant for Electricity Generation and Water Desalination
J. Sol. Energy Eng (February,2019)
Technoeconomic Analysis of Alternative Solarized s-CO 2 Brayton Cycle Configurations
J. Sol. Energy Eng (October,2016)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
The Special Characteristics of Closed-Cycle Gas Turbines
Closed-Cycle Gas Turbines: Operating Experience and Future Potential
Combined Cycle Power Plant
Energy and Power Generation Handbook: Established and Emerging Technologies
Solution of Phased-Mission Benchmark Problem Using the SimPRA Dynamic PRA Methdology (PSAM-0345)
Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment & Management (PSAM)