High-temperature heat storage for air-cooled solar central receiver plants: A design study.

Abstract

Solar central receiver power plants with air-cooled receivers depend on effective large-scale storage solutions for a successful market introduction. Heat storage regenerators are well suited, but still need to be adapted to this process. A design study, complemented with a cost analysis has been performed to identify the most promising variants of this storage technology. Designs based on ceramic checker bricks or honeycomb ceramics turn out to be promising near- to mid-term options, but need further optimisation. Packed bed design offer further cost reduction potential, however at increased technical uncertainties.