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Techno-economic Analysis

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Concentrating Solar Power and Desalination Plants

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Abstract

This chapter describes a steady-state sensitivity analysis based on a design point, considering each of the four configurations proposed in Chap. 5. This approach deals with a simulation-based analysis that allows estimation of overall efficiency over a wide range of boundary conditions to determine which cogeneration system is the most optimal in terms of capital cost (overall efficiency is directly related to the solar field size required). The analysis was performed for the three existing cooling technologies: once-through, evaporative water cooling and dry air cooling (except for the case in which a low-temperature (LT) multi-effect distillation (MED) unit replaces the condenser in the parabolic-trough concentrating solar power [PT-CSP] plant). The specific electric consumption (SEC) and the exhaust steam temperature were taken as inputs to be varied for a wide range of conditions that cover all the locations between the Mediterranean basin and the Arabian Gulf and match the three cooling systems considered. The simulations were carried out using the models described in Chaps. 3, 4 and 5. The study evaluated in which cases the PT-CSP + MED configurations are more efficient than the PT-CSP + RO configuration. Note that the results given in this chapter are valid only for parabolic-trough solar technology; thus, they could change for a different solar technology. Finally, a detailed techno-economic analysis is described for two representative locations in the Mediterranean basin and the Arabian Gulf, with the aim of determining the most suitable configuration and refrigeration system in each location. Specific operating conditions were established for each location, based on similar studies and information from real plants.

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Abbreviations

Cr:

Compression ratio

CSP + D:

Concentrating solar power and desalination

DNI:

Direct normal irradiation (kWh/m2 year)

EES:

Engineering equation solver

GOR:

Gain output ratio

LEC:

Levelised electricity cost (c€/kWh)

LT-MED:

Low temperature multi-effect distillation

LT-MED + TVC:

Low temperature multi-effect distillation powered by a thermal vapour compressor

LWC:

Levelised water cost (€/m3)

MENA:

Middle East and North Africa

PT:

Parabolic trough

Ra:

Entrainment ratio

RO:

Reverse osmosis

MED-TVC:

Multi-effect distillation with thermal vapour compression

P net :

Net power production (MWe)

ṁ :

Mass flow rate (kg/s)

F FW :

Fresh water flow rate (m3/day)

P cond :

Power consumed by the condenser (MWe)

h :

Specific enthalpy (kJ/kg)

P th :

Net output thermal capacity (MWth)

M d :

Distillate mass flow rate (kg/s)

M mv :

Motive steam mass flow rate (kg/s)

M ent :

Entrained vapour mass flow rate (kg/s)

η th :

Global efficiency

F sw :

Seawater flow rate (m3/day)

M d,net :

Net fresh water production (m3/day)

M d,gross :

Gross fresh water production (m3/day)

P turb :

Gross power production (MWe)

A a :

Aperture area (m2)

F s :

Solar fraction

crf:

Capital recovery factor

K invest :

Total investment of the plant (€)

K O & M :

Annual operation and maintenance costs (€)

K fuel :

Annual fuel cost (€)

E net :

Net electricity delivered to the grid (GWh)

k d :

Real debt interest rate (%)

n :

Depreciation period (years)

K insurance :

Annual insurance rate (%)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIEMAT—Plataforma Solar de Almería, Tabernas, Almería, Spain

    Patricia Palenzuela, Diego-César Alarcón-Padilla & Guillermo Zaragoza

Authors
  1. Patricia Palenzuela
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  2. Diego-César Alarcón-Padilla
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  3. Guillermo Zaragoza
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Appendix

Appendix

Table 6.2 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering dry cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.3 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering dry cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.4 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering evaporative water cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.5 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering evaporative water cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.6 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering once-through as the cooling method
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Table 6.7 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering once-through as the cooling method
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Table 6.8 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering dry cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.9 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering dry cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.10 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering evaporative water cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.11 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering evaporative water cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.12 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering once-through as the cooling method
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Table 6.13 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + LT-MED + TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, considering once-through as the cooling method
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Table 6.14 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + MED-TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 37 °C, considering dry cooling as the cooling method
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Table 6.15 Overall efficiencies of the systems PT-CSP + MED-TVC and PT-CSP + RO at an exhaust steam temperature of 57 °C, with dry cooling as cooling method
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Table 6.16 Fresh water flow rate (F FW) needed in the condenser of the power cycle with evaporative water cooling
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Table 6.17 Power consumed by the condenser (P cond) of the power cycle and of the MED plants in the case of using once-through as cooling method
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Palenzuela, P., Alarcón-Padilla, DC., Zaragoza, G. (2015). Techno-economic Analysis. In: Concentrating Solar Power and Desalination Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20535-9_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20535-9_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-20534-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-20535-9

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

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