Journal article
Transient simulation of a control strategy for solar receivers based on mass flow valves adjustments and heliostats aiming
Renewable Energy, Vol.185, pp.1221-1244
02/2022
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Abstract
Solar central receivers have inherently large time constants and time delays caused by their thermal inertia are due to the transport of the heat transfer fluid alongside the panels. This problem is even accentuated if these systems are continuously exposed to direct normal irradiance (DNI) fluctuations. Ensuring an adequate operation of this kind of process implies the adaptation of control strategies. This paper proposes a strategy that couples the temperature control of the outlet fluid while considering the heliostats' aiming points location to maintain the receiver operating below its design limit and simulates its performance under several scenarios. These tests are carried out on a non-steady-state solar plant model that considers its optical and thermal characteristics. The structure of the proposed control system is based on using intermediate flow valves along the heating flow path to reduce time delay. Hence, it renders the control system more responsive to either a DNI variation affecting the solar field or moving its operation from one state to another. The control strategy structure contains feedback and feedforward loops to determine the near-future process response to DNI measurements. It allows adding more information to the loop used to maintain the system's desired steady-state operation. The overall strategy can take the process to a steady-state operation regardless of the hour or day of operation. It produces a low variation of the outlet temperature, with a standard deviation of 3 °C, while the receiver is under a transient DNI and maintains the heliostats aimed toward the receiver without exceeding its heat flux limits. Results indicate that the proposed strategy achieves over 80% improvement based on the integral absolute error (IAE) performance index compared to conventional single-loop temperature control. Besides the simulated numerical results, this research also presents the advantages of considering intermediate mass-flow valves for control purposes of the receiver. This work should be considered a step towards improving multivariable control algorithms for the safe operation of solar central receivers.
Details
- Title
- Transient simulation of a control strategy for solar receivers based on mass flow valves adjustments and heliostats aiming
- Creators
- Jesús García - Universidad Técnica Federico Santa MariaRodrigo Barraza - Universidad Técnica Federico Santa MariaYen Chean Soo Too - CSIRORicardo Vásquez Padilla - Southern Cross UniversityDavid Acosta - Centro de Investigación e Innovación en Energía y Gas – CIIEG, PROMIGAS S.A. E.S.P., Barranquilla, ColombiaDanilo Estay - Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Santiago, ChilePatricio Valdivia - Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Santiago, Chile
- Publication Details
- Renewable Energy, Vol.185, pp.1221-1244
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- The authors express their gratitude to the Chilean Government that funded this research through a postdoctoral project supported by the Comision Nacional de Investigaci on Científica y Tecnologica (CONICYT), the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnologico (FONDECYT), and Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa María, postdoctoral grant number 3190542. The authors also express their sincere thanks for the financial support from the ANID/Fondap/15110019 “Solar Energy Research Center”-SERC-Chile.
- Identifiers
- 991012988297502368
- Copyright
- © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Academic Unit
- Engineering; Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article