Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cally sensible thermal capacity of a solar field operated with thermal oil is esti-
mated to be around 600 MW.
5.3.1.2
Plant concepts
The major share of solar thermal electricity is generated by means of parabolic
trough plants. In the Mojave Desert in California/USA nine so-called SEGS (So-
lar Electricity Generation Systems) have been erected, whose concept is detailed
as follows. Additionally, further approaches are discussed.
SEGS plants.
In the years from 1985 to 1991, nine SEGS plants (Table 5.6) ac-
counting for an overall electric capacity of 354 MW were installed in the Califor-
nian Mojave Desert /5-19/. All plants have been operated for power generation on
a commercial basis ever since.
Table 5.6
Technical parameters of built parabolic trough power plants (also refer to
/5-19/)
SEGS I
SEGS II
SEGS III
SEGS IV
SEGS V
Year of construction
Capacity in MW
a
Status
1985
13.8
in operation
1986
30.0
in operation
1987
30.0
in operation
1987
30.0
in operation
1988
30.0
in operation
Collector field
Collector type
Number
Overall surface
b
in m
2
Max. fluid temp. in °C
Storage capacity in MWh
LS1 / LS2
608
82,960
307
120
LS1 / LS2
1,054
190,338
321
LS2
980
230,300
349
LS2
980
230,300
349
LS2 / LS3
1,024
250,560
349
SEGS VI
SEGS VII
SEGS VIII
SEGS IX
Year of construction
Capacity in MW
a
Status
1989
30.0
in operation
1989
30.0
in operation
1990
80.0
in operation
1991
80.0
in operation
Collector field
Collector type
Number
Overall surface
b
in m
2
Max. fluid temp. In °C
LS2
800
188,000
390
LS2 / LS3
584
194,280
390
LS3
852
464,340
390
LS3
888
464,340
390
Max. maximum; temp. temperature;
a
net capacity;
b
overall collector surface.
All SEGS plants are operated with thermal oil which is pumped through the so-
lar field. For the first plant (SEGS I) mineral oil has been selected that can be
operated at low temperatures but does not require pressurised operation. The su-
perheating required for steam turbine operation is provided by a natural gas-fired
boiler which also ensures constant operation of the entire plant. The applied oil
was so cheap that a simple thermal storage of 120 MWh could be added.
For the following power plants both the applied heat transfer fluid and the
power plant configuration have been modified. The thermal oil, still in use today,
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