Molten salt circulation pump for heliostat central tower with molten salt and heat storage

Molten salt circulation pumps circulate the primary heat transfer fluid (molten salt) through the solar receiver to heat it up and to either feed the solar steam generator, store the energy during the high sun radiation hours (cold salt pumps), or deliver it after the sunset (hot salt pumps).

Molten salt circulation pumps for parabolic trough with molten salt heat storage

Sulzer provides the following vertical pump as molten salt circulation pump for heliostat central tower with molten salt and heat storage as well as parabolic through power plants:

VEY
Capacities
Up to 4,000 m3/h / 17,600 USgpm
Heads Up to 350 m / 1,150 ft
Pressures
Up to 70 bar / 1,015 psi
Temperatures Up to 600°C / 1,100°F

Products

  • VEY and VNY molten salt pump for concentrated solar power
    The VEY and VNY are vertical mixed-flow molten salt pumps with high capacity and medium to high head. Its design includes hydraulics from proven ranges. These pumps have been engineered to balance high efficiency, low submergence, net positive suction head required (NPSHR) considerations, long lifetime and reliability as required for concentrated solar power.

Processes and applications

Heliostat Central Tower with Direct Steam Generator (DSG)

Heliostat central tower with direct steam generator (DSG)

Heliostat central tower is the most promising option for the future as it needs less space and can be more efficient than parabolic trough. It allows to generate either low rate saturated or high rate superheated steam.

Heliostat with Central Tower and Direct Steam Generation

Heliostat central tower generates electric power from sunlight by focusing concentrated solar radiation on a tower mounted heat exchanger (receiver). The system uses thousands of sun-tracking mirrors called heliostats to reflect the incident sunlight onto the receiver. In this case, the primary Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) is water that will directly convert into steam.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

Heliostat Central Tower with Molten Salt and Heat Storage

Heliostat central tower with molten salt and heat storage

Heliostat central tower is the most promising option for the future as it needs less space and can be more efficient than parabolic trough. It allows to generate high-rate superheated steam.

Heliostat with Central Tower and Molten Salt Heat Storage

In this variant, the primary Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) is cold molten salt at around 295 ºC that are circulated through the tower mounted heat exchanger (receiver). Molten salts are heated up there to around to 565°C which allows to generate high rate superheated or even supercritical steam. A part of the hot molten salt is stored in the hot molten salt tank to be able to release it after the sunset; this system extends the operating time of the CSP plant by some additional 6-7 hours.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

Hybrid Integrated Solar Combined-Cycle (ISCC)

Hybrid integrated solar combined-cycle (ISCC)

A hybrid between a fossil-fired power plant (i.e. gas-fired combined-cycle) and a CSP plant. The solar field (either parabolic trough, linear Fresnel reflector or heliostat central tower) provides additional steam during the hours of high sun radiation to feed the main steam turbine. This configuration is typically used for power increase of any kind fossil-fired power plant.

Hybrid Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC)

In a combined-cycle plant, the high temperature exhaust gas from the turbine passes through the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) from which high-pressure steam is addressed to a steam turbine. In ISCC installations, additional thermal energy from the solar steam generator is injected into the HRSG of a conventional combined-cycle plant. This boosts steam production and consequently electrical output at relatively low extra cost.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

Linear Fresnel Reflector

Linear Fresnel reflector

Linear Fresnel reflector is the receiver technology having the lowest investment cost. The cost savings come from the inexpensive planar mirrors and the very simple tracking system used.

Linear Fresnel Reflector with Direct Steam Generation

The linear Fresnel reflector width can easily be three times the width of parabolic troughs, thus, the same amount of energy can be collected with a fraction of the absorber tube length. Direct Steam Generation (DSG) usually allows only to generate low rate saturated steam.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

Parabolic Trough with Molten Salt Heat Storage

Parabolic trough with molten salt heat storage

Parabolic trough with heat storage has been widely tested since the early 2000's in several locations in Spain. A parabolic trough is a type of solar thermal energy collector; it is constructed as a long parabolic mirror with a tube running its length at the focal point.

Parabolic Trough with Molten Salt Heat Storage

In this variant, a part of the thermal oil used as primary Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) is circulated through a heat exchanger where the heat is transferred to the molten salts circulated in a secondary circuit. This heat is stored in the hot molten salt tank to be able to release it after the sunset which extends the operating time of the CSP plant by some additional 6-7 hours. The working temperature is conditioned by the thermal oil optimum at around 350 ºC allowing to generate only low rate steam.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

Parabolic Trough without Heat Storage

Parabolic trough without heat storage

Parabolic trough without heat storage is the most mature receiver technology as it was widely tested since the late 80's in the Mojave Desert (USA). A parabolic trough is a type of solar thermal energy collector. It is constructed as a long parabolic mirror with a tube running its length at the focal point.

Parabolic Trough without Heat Storage

In a parabolic trough plant, sunlight is reflected by the mirror and concentrated on the tube where thermal oil used as primary Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) is circulated. The thermal oil optimum working temperature is around 350 ºC which allows to generate low rate steam. These CSP plants without heat storage can operate only during the hours of high sun radiation.

Our experienced service engineers help you to maintain your rotating equipment at the highest level of availability and reliability.

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