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Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams

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  • Gustavo Cáceres

    (Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile)

  • Macarena Montané

    (Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile)

  • Shahriyar Nasirov

    (Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile)

  • Raúl O’Ryan

    (Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile)

Abstract

The improvement of solar thermal technologies in emerging economies like Chile is particularly attractive because the country is endowed with one of the most consistently high solar potentials, lithium and copper reserves. In recent years, growing interests for lithium based salts and copper foams in application of thermal technologies could change the landscape of Chile transforming its lithium reserves and copper availability into competitive energy produced in the region. This study reviews the technical advantages of using lithium based salts—applied as heat storage media and heat transfer fluid—and copper foam/Phase Change Materials (PCM) alternatives—applied as heat storage media—within tower and parabolic trough Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, and presents a first systematic evaluation of the costs of these alternatives based on real plant data. The methodology applied is based on material data base compilation of price and technical properties, selection of CSP plant and estimation of amount of required material, and analysis of Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). Results confirm that some lithium based salts are effective in reducing the amount of required material and costs for the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems for both plant cases, with savings of up to 68% and 4.14% in tons of salts and LCOE, respectively. Copper foam/PCM composites significantly increase thermal conductivity, decreasing the volume of the TES system, but costs of implementation are still higher than traditional options.

Suggested Citation

  • Gustavo Cáceres & Macarena Montané & Shahriyar Nasirov & Raúl O’Ryan, 2016. "Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:106-:d:62886
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Macarena Montané & Gustavo Cáceres & Mauricio Villena & Raúl O’Ryan, 2017. "Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Tania I. Lagunes Vega & Sergio A. Zamora Castro & Oscar Velazquez Camilo & Ma Eugenia Alicia Diaz Vega & Ricardo Campos Campos, 2016. "Thermal Storage Systems Assessment for Energy Sustainability in Housing Units," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Gustavo Cáceres & Karina Fullenkamp & Macarena Montané & Krzysztof Naplocha & Anna Dmitruk, 2017. "Encapsulated Nitrates Phase Change Material Selection for Use as Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer Materials at High Temperature in Concentrated Solar Power Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Henríquez, Mauro & Guerreiro, Luis & Fernández, Ángel G. & Fuentealba, Edward, 2020. "Lithium nitrate purity influence assessment in ternary molten salts as thermal energy storage material for CSP plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 940-950.
    5. Adrián Caraballo & Santos Galán-Casado & Ángel Caballero & Sara Serena, 2021. "Molten Salts for Sensible Thermal Energy Storage: A Review and an Energy Performance Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Fernández, Ángel G. & Gomez-Vidal, Judith C., 2017. "Thermophysical properties of low cost lithium nitrate salts produced in northern Chile for thermal energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 120-125.
    7. Duvenhage, D. Frank & Brent, Alan C. & Stafford, William H.L., 2019. "The need to strategically manage CSP fleet development and water resources: A structured review and way forward," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 813-825.

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