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Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities

Author

Listed:
  • Jürgen Dersch

    (German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne, Germany)

  • Michael Karl Wittmann

    (German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Tobias Hirsch

    (German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany)

Abstract

This study compares the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of parabolic trough solar power plants using thermal oil or two different molten salt mixtures located at three different sites and with different thermal storage capacities. The necessity of using appropriate model approaches for the temperatures along a loop of the solar field is discussed, as well as the utilization of heat from thermal storage for freeze protection of the molten salt plants. The ternary salt mixture with a lower temperature limit of 170 °C and an upper temperature limit of 500 °C shows the lowest LCOE for all sites and almost all investigated storage capacities. Molten salts as heat transfer fluids are particularly favorable for sites with high irradiation and plants with large storage capacities of more than six full load hours.

Suggested Citation

  • Jürgen Dersch & Michael Karl Wittmann & Tobias Hirsch, 2025. "Comparison of Molten Salts and Thermal Oil in Parabolic Trough Power Plants for Different Sites and Different Storage Capacities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:326-:d:1566046
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Javier Iñigo-Labairu & Jürgen Dersch & Tobias Hirsch & Stefano Giuliano & Matthias Loevenich & Diego Córdoba, 2024. "Techno-Economic Evaluation of CSP–PV Hybrid Plants with Heat Pump in a Temperature Booster Configuration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Surender Kannaiyan & Neeraj Dhanraj Bokde, 2022. "Performance of Parabolic Trough Collector with Different Heat Transfer Fluids and Control Operation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Alberto Giaconia & Anna Chiara Tizzoni & Salvatore Sau & Natale Corsaro & Emiliana Mansi & Annarita Spadoni & Tiziano Delise, 2021. "Assessment and Perspectives of Heat Transfer Fluids for CSP Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Starke, Allan R. & Cardemil, José M. & Bonini, Vinicius R.B. & Escobar, Rodrigo & Castro-Quijada, Matías & Videla, Álvaro, 2024. "Assessing the performance of novel molten salt mixtures on CSP applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    5. Delise, T. & Tizzoni, A.C. & Menale, C. & Telling, M.T.F. & Bubbico, R. & Crescenzi, T. & Corsaro, N. & Sau, S. & Licoccia, S., 2020. "Technical and economic analysis of a CSP plant presenting a low freezing ternary mixture as storage and transfer fluid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
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