Modeling of 1 MW solar thermal tower power plant using TRNSYS

This paper presents an economic, cost effective model of solar thermal tower power plant. In Solar Thermal Tower Power Plant heliostats are most expensive component and take 40 percent cost of overall power plant which is unenviable. In this work main focus was to find the minimum number of heliostats required to generate 1 MW of electricity by changing the flow rate, temperature and pressure of heat transfer fluid and steam. Effect of changing the flow rate on heliostats is discussed. For optimum placement of reflecting mirrors and solar receiver height, System Advisory Model is used. It was found that minimum 62 heliostats are required for 13000 kg/h steam flow rate. Further reduction in heliostats resulted in decreased steam flow rate which is limited by turbine input parameters. Solar radiation data for 26 July was taken from the Meteorological High Precision station installed in National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad Pakistan.