Gemasolar a thermal solar power plant with 15 hours, Ignacio Burgaleta (Torresol Energy)

11 June 2013, Madrid© Torresol Energy
GEMASOLAR: A THERMAL SOLAR POWER PLANT WITH
15 HOURS OF THERMAL STORAGE SYSTEM
WORKSHOP ON APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR FORECASTING
Juan Ignacio Burgaleta
Director of Technology

© Torresol Energy 211 June 2013, Madrid
GEMASOLAR: A THERMAL SOLAR POWER PLANT
WITH 15 HOURS OF THERMAL STORAGE SYSTEM
INDEX
1. Torresol Energy
2. The GEMASOLAR Plant
3. Innovations
4. Operation
5. Construction
6. Commercial operation
7. Conclusions

1. Torresol Energy
• Engineering, consulting, and systems inte-
gration company. Founded in 1956.
• Very active in Solar Energy since 2000.
– Technology developer: SENERtrough collector system, Sensol
software, heliostats, heliostat axis drive mechanisms, molten salt
technology (as storage system and as heat transfer fluid) central
tower receiver… amongst many other innovations.
– PSA Tower Prototype
– Turn Key Projects: Andasol 1 & 2, in Granada; Extresol 1, 2
& 3, in Badajoz; one plant in La Garrovilla (Badajoz); one
plant in Alvarado (Badajoz); and two plants in Navalvillar de
Pela (Badajoz).
60% 40%
• 100% “Mubadala Development
Company” stockholding.
• Mubadala Development Company”
belongs to the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
• Goal: development and commer-
cialization of innovative technologies
in renewable, alternative and sus-
tainable energies.
A STRONG ALLIANCE

1. Torresol Energy
GEMASOLAR
(Tower)
VALLE 1
(PTC)
VALLE 2
(PTC)

• Storage system
Solar energy
Solar field and
central tower receiver
Molten salts
storage system
• Generation system
Molten salts
storage system
Steam
generation
system
Turbine/generator
system Grid

• High thermal storage capacity (24 hours).
• The same fluid is used for heat transfer and storage.
• The molten salts reach highest temperatures (565ºc) maximizing thermodynamic efficiency.
• The whole piping system is contained in an small area, reducing the heat losses, the
maintenance costs and minimizing the possibility of leaks.
• Lower operation risk (No mobile piping system. No swivel joints. No thermal oil).
• Highest cycle efficiency.
Advantages of Central Tower with Molten Salt Technology

3. Innovations (Heliostats)
• High surface (115 m2).
• High optic quality and precision.
• Integrated facet mirror-structure.
• Innovative system of facets union.
• Reduced manufacturing, assembly and
maintenance costs.
Developed by SENER

3. Innovations (Receiver)
• Optimize size to minimize thermal losses.
• High flow of incident radiation.
• Optimize the design to the maximum temperature
of the metal.
• Thermal maximum efficiency.
• Designed for 25 years of operation.
Solar receiver
Prototype receiver testing in
the PSA of Almería
Receiver Developed by SENER with
PSA-CIEMAT colaboration

3. Innovations
Solar Field Control System
• Innovative Control system of solar
field composed by 2650 heliostats,
positioned at north, south, east and
west of the tower.
• Optimize the electricity consumption
of the heliostat actuation system.
• Development of a new pointing
strategy that guarantees the good
distribution of the solar flow incident
in the receiver.
• Reduce the time of heliostats de-
focusing.
Developed by SENER

3. Innovations
Molten Salt Storage System
– Tranference fluid and thermal
storage: Nitate molten salts 60%
Na NO3 y 40% KNO3.
– 15 hours of thermal storage
capacity, operating with turbine in
nominal conditions.
– Operatoin tempeature 565.
– Pumping of salts to the receiver
placed in the tower at 140 m.
Power block, molten salt storage system of
the GEMASOLAR Plant
Developed by SENER

4. Operation
GEMASOLAR Flow Diagram

4. Operation
GEMASOLAR Daytime Operation

4. Operation
GEMASOLAR Daytime Operation during Cloudy Periods

GEMASOLAR Nightime Operation
4. Operation

5. Construction
Aerial view of the GEMASOLAR Power Block

5. Construction

5. Construction
Aerial view of the GEMASOLAR Plant

6. Commercial Operation

• Commissioning activities started November 2010:
− Heliostats calibration.
− Salt molten in a temporary installation and stored in the cold tank (November –
December 2010)
• End of April 2011 plant synchronized.
Start up and Commissioning

• From early May 2011 providing electricity to the grid.
• End June, 24 hours of uninterrupted electricity production.
• On July 6 2011 performance test, result exceeded theoretical prediction.
• Excellent hourly production predictions.

Starting & Shutting Down the Receiver
• Every day the receiver temperature changes quickly from the environmental conditions till
operation conditions (565ºC)
• Procedures to control all the parameters-components which affect the receiver filling and
drainage developed by Torresol Energy to secure the efficiency and the security (delicate
operation)
• Complex system: Sincronization between Solard Field (heliostats) and the Central
Receiver System (CRS)
• Thermography cameras are part of the control tool for the radiation flow onto the receiver
and are synchronized with the solar field software (heliostats pointing)

Starting & Shutting Down the Receiver
• Importance of a good reciever drainage
• The molten salt must be between 260ºC and 565ºC.
• Operational improvements extend the daily
production
• Calibration of the heliostats: Targets located below
the receiver to calibrate the heliostats

Actual Guarantee
– Receiver Thermal Power 135 MWTh 120 MWTh
– Net Electrical Production 414.3 MWh 302 MWh
– Receiver Outlet Salts Temp. 565 ºC 565 ºC
– Gross Power 19.9 MW 19.9 MW
– Net Power 17.0 MW 17.0 MW
24 h Overall Performance Test passed on July 6th, 2011

Production dates. From 16-08-2011, 00:00 hour to 17-08-2011, 00:00 hour

Non-stop operation in Winter time

Turbine continuously running at nominal power in summer

12 DAYS OF CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION

7. Next Steps
• We, and most of the analysts, consider that the
technology of Central Tower Plants with Molten Salts
has higher opportunities to achieve the grid parity in
a shorter period of time due to:
− Larger future cost reduction.
− Size to be increased.
− New equipment yet to be developed.
− Affordable construction materials.
• Next Tower Plant with Molten Salt Storage System:
− + 500 MWt receiver ( +12.000 heliostats)
− Storage System capacity depending on Market
requirements

7. Conclusions
• GEMASOLAR is the first commercial-scale plant featuring a central tower
molten salt receiver with thermal storage capabilities supplying electricity
to the grid from May 2011.
• The molten salt thermal storage system helps avoid fluctuations in power
supply and enables to produce electricity during 15 hours in the absence
of solar radiation.
• The 19.9 MWe GEMASOLAR Plant became the first CSP ever to
generate uninterrupted electricity for 24 hour at full capacity.
• Next Tower Plant and Molten Salt System with increased power

Gemasolar a thermal solar power plant with 15 hours, Ignacio Burgaleta (Torresol Energy)

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