| dc.description.abstract | This project comprises the engineering design and assessment of the novel above critical-point Carbon Dioxide cycle technology integrated with a solar Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) plant. To accomplish this, preliminary studies were first performed on initial simple calculations of the thermodynamics of the different CO2 cycles and solar energy technology. Knowledge was also acquired through an ongoing literature review. A design model was then developed in EES, to assist in the design of the different systems of the power plant including the solar field, power block and components such as turbomachines and heat exchangers. Another model was developed in EES to simulate for average and median days for each month in the year by inputting a meteorological TMY3 data set and obtaining performance results. Pre-processing of data inputs and post-processing of outputs was done with MATLAB, as well as the understanding of the meteorological design conditions of the location chosen for the analysis, which is College Station, TX. Next, the results were confirmed with more advanced simulation software, namely SAM, provided by NREL. A one 1-MW facility with a simple transcritical CO2 cycle, which also provided cogeneration heat for a small industry (case A), was proposed as a baseline plant. Other alternatives studied were: a 10-MW facility for University Campus Utilities (case B), a 1-MW plant with a Recompression CO2 cycle (case C), and finally a 1-MW plant with a supercritical CO2 cycle (case D).
Results obtained for the baseline plant show an LCOE of $0.2915/kWh while lowest LCOE obtained was the one for alternative B: $0.2613/kWh. Although it was concluded that this technology not in position to make a market penetration, a sensitivity analysis was performed revealing important clues as to how the energy cost could be reduced so as to make it more viable in the future. | en |
