Coupling concentrators with storage for dispatchable energy
Integration of thermal storage with concentrated solar systems requires careful thermal management and control. Storage captures heat from the HTF during sunny periods and releases it to the power block when needed.
Integration steps:
- Direct charging: HTF heated at the receiver is routed directly into insulated storage tanks.
- Heat exchange: in some designs, a primary HTF transfers heat into a secondary storage medium via a heat exchanger.
- Discharge and power generation: stored heat is drawn through the power block, producing steam or driving heat engines.
Design considerations:
- Storage capacity sizing: based on desired hours of dispatch and expected solar input variability.
- Thermal losses and insulation: low-loss tanks and piping keep round-trip efficiency high.
- Control logic: management software schedules charging, discharging, and backup boiler usage to meet demand.
Properly integrated storage enables consistent generation after sunset, improves capacity factor, and makes CSP a firm power source for grids.