IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i12p3613-d576794.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Simulation of a CSP Solar Steam Generator, Using Machine Learning

Author

Listed:
  • Adrian Gonzalez Gonzalez

    (TSK, 33203 Gijón, Spain)

  • Jose Valeriano Alvarez Cabal

    (Department of Mines Explotation and Prospecting, Project Engineering Area, University of Oviedo, 33004 Oviedo, Spain)

  • Miguel Angel Vigil Berrocal

    (Department of Mines Explotation and Prospecting, Project Engineering Area, University of Oviedo, 33004 Oviedo, Spain)

  • Rogelio Peón Menéndez

    (TSK, 33203 Gijón, Spain)

  • Adrian Riesgo Fernández

    (TSK, 33203 Gijón, Spain)

Abstract

Developing an accurate concentrated solar power (CSP) performance model requires significant effort and time. The power block (PB) is the most complex system, and its modeling is clearly the most complicated and time-demanding part. Nonetheless, PB layouts are quite similar throughout CSP plants, meaning that there are enough historical process data available from commercial plants to use machine learning techniques. These algorithms allowed the development of a very accurate black-box PB model in a very short amount of time. This PB model could be easily integrated as a block into the PM. The machine learning technique selected was SVR (support vector regression). The PB model was trained using a complete year of data from a commercial CSP plant situated in southern Spain. With a very limited set of inputs, the PB model results were very accurate, according to their validation against a new complete year of data. The model not only fit well on an aggregate basis, but also in the transients between operation modes. To validate applicability, the same model methodology is used with a data from a very different CSP Plant, located in the MENA region and with more than double nominal electric power, obtaining an excellent fitting in the validation.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Gonzalez Gonzalez & Jose Valeriano Alvarez Cabal & Miguel Angel Vigil Berrocal & Rogelio Peón Menéndez & Adrian Riesgo Fernández, 2021. "Simulation of a CSP Solar Steam Generator, Using Machine Learning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:12:p:3613-:d:576794
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/12/3613/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/12/3613/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Siva Reddy, V. & Kaushik, S.C. & Ranjan, K.R. & Tyagi, S.K., 2013. "State-of-the-art of solar thermal power plants—A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 258-273.
    2. Zhang, Yabei & Smith, Steven J. & Kyle, G. Page & Stackhouse Jr., Paul W., 2010. "Modeling the potential for thermal concentrating solar power technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(12), pages 7884-7897, December.
    3. Adrian Gonzalez Gonzalez & J. Valeriano Alvarez Cabal & Vicente Rodríguez Montequin & Joaquín Villanueva Balsera & Rogelio Peón Menéndez, 2020. "CSP Quasi-Dynamic Performance Model Development for All Project Life Cycle Stages and Considering Operation Modes. Validation Using One Year Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-22, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dowling, Alexander W. & Zheng, Tian & Zavala, Victor M., 2017. "Economic assessment of concentrated solar power technologies: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1019-1032.
    2. Okoroigwe, Edmund & Madhlopa, Amos, 2016. "An integrated combined cycle system driven by a solar tower: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 337-350.
    3. Fichter, Tobias & Soria, Rafael & Szklo, Alexandre & Schaeffer, Roberto & Lucena, Andre F.P., 2017. "Assessing the potential role of concentrated solar power (CSP) for the northeast power system of Brazil using a detailed power system model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 695-715.
    4. Köberle, Alexandre C. & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2015. "Assessing current and future techno-economic potential of concentrated solar power and photovoltaic electricity generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 739-756.
    5. Mostafavi Tehrani, S. Saeed & Taylor, Robert A., 2016. "Off-design simulation and performance of molten salt cavity receivers in solar tower plants under realistic operational modes and control strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 698-715.
    6. Hoz, Jordi de la & Martín, Helena & Montalà, Montserrat & Matas, José & Guzman, Ramon, 2018. "Assessing the 2014 retroactive regulatory framework applied to the concentrating solar power systems in Spain," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1377-1399.
    7. Mostafavi Tehrani, S. Saeed & Shoraka, Yashar & Nithyanandam, Karthik & Taylor, Robert A., 2019. "Shell-and-tube or packed bed thermal energy storage systems integrated with a concentrated solar power: A techno-economic comparison of sensible and latent heat systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 887-910.
    8. Zeng, Zhichen & Ni, Dong & Xiao, Gang, 2022. "Real-time heliostat field aiming strategy optimization based on reinforcement learning," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    9. Sharma, Chandan & Sharma, Ashish K. & Mullick, Subhash C. & Kandpal, Tara C., 2015. "Assessment of solar thermal power generation potential in India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 902-912.
    10. Bernardos, Eva & López, Ignacio & Rodríguez, Javier & Abánades, Alberto, 2013. "Assessing the potential of hybrid fossil–solar thermal plants for energy policy making: Brayton cycles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 99-106.
    11. Li, Qiyuan & Shirazi, Ali & Zheng, Cheng & Rosengarten, Gary & Scott, Jason A. & Taylor, Robert A., 2016. "Energy concentration limits in solar thermal heating applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 253-267.
    12. Cioccolanti, Luca & Tascioni, Roberto & Arteconi, Alessia, 2018. "Mathematical modelling of operation modes and performance evaluation of an innovative small-scale concentrated solar organic Rankine cycle plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 464-476.
    13. Peiró, Gerard & Prieto, Cristina & Gasia, Jaume & Jové, Aleix & Miró, Laia & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2018. "Two-tank molten salts thermal energy storage system for solar power plants at pilot plant scale: Lessons learnt and recommendations for its design, start-up and operation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 236-248.
    14. Tehrani, S. Saeed Mostafavi & Taylor, Robert A. & Saberi, Pouya & Diarce, Gonzalo, 2016. "Design and feasibility of high temperature shell and tube latent heat thermal energy storage system for solar thermal power plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA), pages 120-136.
    15. Mohammadi, Kasra & Khorasanizadeh, Hossein, 2015. "A review of solar radiation on vertically mounted solar surfaces and proper azimuth angles in six Iranian major cities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 504-518.
    16. Zack Norwood & Joel Goop & Mikael Odenberger, 2017. "The Future of the European Electricity Grid Is Bright: Cost Minimizing Optimization Shows Solar with Storage as Dominant Technologies to Meet European Emissions Targets to 2050," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-31, December.
    17. Soria, Rafael & Portugal-Pereira, Joana & Szklo, Alexandre & Milani, Rodrigo & Schaeffer, Roberto, 2015. "Hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP)–biomass plants in a semiarid region: A strategy for CSP deployment in Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 57-72.
    18. Zaversky, Fritz & Aldaz, Leticia & Sánchez, Marcelino & Ávila-Marín, Antonio L. & Roldán, M. Isabel & Fernández-Reche, Jesús & Füssel, Alexander & Beckert, Wieland & Adler, Jörg, 2018. "Numerical and experimental evaluation and optimization of ceramic foam as solar absorber – Single-layer vs multi-layer configurations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 351-375.
    19. Dadak, Ali & Mousavi, Seyed Ali & Mehrpooya, Mehdi & Kasaeian, Alibakhsh, 2022. "Techno-economic investigation and dual-objective optimization of a stand-alone combined configuration for the generation and storage of electricity and hydrogen applying hybrid renewable system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 1-20.
    20. Behar, Omar & Khellaf, Abdallah & Mohammedi, Kamal & Ait-Kaci, Sabrina, 2014. "A review of integrated solar combined cycle system (ISCCS) with a parabolic trough technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 223-250.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:12:p:3613-:d:576794. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.