A literature review was carried out to critically evaluate the state of the art of thermal energy storage applied to parabolic trough power plants. This survey briefly describes the work done before 1990 followed by a more detailed discussion of later efforts. The most advanced system is a 2-tank-storage system where the heat transfer fluid (HTF) also serves as storage medium. This concept was successfully demonstrated in a commercial trough plant SEGS I plant; storage capacity) and a demonstration tower plant Solar Two; storage capacity). However, the HTF used in state-of-the-art parabolic trough power plants is expensive, dramatically increasing the cost of larger HTF storage systems. Other promising storage concepts are under development, such as concrete storage, phase change material storage, and chemical storage. These concepts promise a considerable cost reduction compared to the direct 2-tank system, but some additional R&D is required before those systems can be used in commercial solar power plants. An interesting and likely cost-effective near-term option for thermal energy storage for parabolic trough power plants is the use of an indirect 2-tank-storage, where another (less expensive) liquid medium such as molten salt is utilized rather than the HTF itself.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Technical Papers
Survey of Thermal Energy Storage for Parabolic Trough Power Plants
Ulf Herrmann,
Ulf Herrmann
FLABEG Solar Int. GmbH, Mu¨hlengasse 7, D-50667 Ko¨ln, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
David W. Kearney
David W. Kearney
Kearney & Associates, P.O. Box 2568, Vashon, WA 98070
Search for other works by this author on:
Ulf Herrmann
FLABEG Solar Int. GmbH, Mu¨hlengasse 7, D-50667 Ko¨ln, Germany
David W. Kearney
Kearney & Associates, P.O. Box 2568, Vashon, WA 98070
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the ASME Solar Energy Division, Feb. 2001; final revision Jan. 2002. Associate Editor: R. Pitz-Paal.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2002, 124(2): 145-152 (8 pages)
Published Online: April 24, 2002
Article history
Received:
February 1, 2001
Revised:
January 1, 2002
Online:
April 24, 2002
Citation
Herrmann, U., and Kearney, D. W. (April 24, 2002). "Survey of Thermal Energy Storage for Parabolic Trough Power Plants ." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2002; 124(2): 145–152. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1467601
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Mass Flow Control Strategy for Maximum Energy Extraction in Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
J. Sol. Energy Eng (December 2025)
Related Articles
A Direct Steam Generation Solar Power Plant With Integrated Thermal Storage
J. Sol. Energy Eng (August,2010)
Guest Editorial
J. Sol. Energy Eng (November,2009)
Assessment of a Molten Salt Heat Transfer Fluid in a Parabolic Trough Solar Field
J. Sol. Energy Eng (May,2003)
Development of a Molten-Salt Thermocline Thermal Storage System for Parabolic Trough Plants
J. Sol. Energy Eng (May,2002)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Heat Transfer Enhancement for Thermal Energy Storage Using Metal Foams Embedded within Phase Change Materials (PCMS)
Inaugural US-EU-China Thermophysics Conference-Renewable Energy 2009 (UECTC 2009 Proceedings)
Research of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Technology
Inaugural US-EU-China Thermophysics Conference-Renewable Energy 2009 (UECTC 2009 Proceedings)
The Experimental Study of Composite Phase-Change Thermal Storage Method
Inaugural US-EU-China Thermophysics Conference-Renewable Energy 2009 (UECTC 2009 Proceedings)