Central Tower Systems unsing the Brayton cycle

Abstract

In conventional power plant Technology, gas turbine Systems are known as cost-effective and reliable components. In combination with a bottoming steam cycle ("combined cycle," CC) very high conversion efficiences can be achieved, exceeding 60% with the most modern te4chnology. This is significantly higher then the efficiencies that steam cycles in state-of-the-art concentrated solar power (CSP) Systems can achieve (about 42% in molten salt solar Tower Systems). For this reason, solar-to-electric conversion efficiency of CSP plants, and thus reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).