Evaluation of Sodium and Steam System Design for the Solar Power Plant with Central Receiver Tower

Summary

An evaluation between the sodium and steam system for solar power plan with central receiver tower is reported in order to increase a thermal power efficiency and to decrease a construction cost. These system designs involve three kinds of design output temperature of sodium loop in receiver including the sodium safety devices and the steam-water design for one MWe solar power plants. Layout designs of main components which are based on above mentioned design system are performed. For the evaluation of four layout designs with sodium loops one MWe plants, it is considered worthy to reduce the weight of hardwares and the construction cost of plant of which the components arrenge on the top area of the receiver tower and/or the ground level. The technical evaluations are performed by following items: (a) Thermal loss from receiver and sodium loop, (b) Method of construction and installation, (c) Compact layout of the plant, (d) Maintenance and operation, (e) Total technical evaluation. From the result of the evaluation solar power system with sodium loop is prospective for many technical advantages to result in higher output power efficiency and lower relative costs.