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Fecha
2025-11-28
Derechos de acceso
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Título de la revista
ISSN de la revista
Título del volumen
Editorial
Elsevier
Citas
Resumen
Medium-temperature parabolic-trough concentrated solar power (CSP) plants still rely mainly on superheated steam-Rankine cycles, which limit efficiency improvements and cost reductions. This study proposes and evaluates a propane-based hybrid Rankine–Brayton (HRB) power cycle as an alternative for CSP plants operating below 400 °C and benchmarks it against steam-Rankine, organic Rankine (toluene), supercritical CO2 recompression Brayton and HRB-isobutane cycles. A two-stage assessment is performed. First, a non-standardized parametric analysis identifies efficiency optima under identical heat-source conditions. Second, a standardized comparison fixes the solar field, thermal energy storage (TES), and total design-point heat-exchanger size across the cycles; a genetic algorithm optimizes their distribution among components to maximize net power without relying on component-cost models. Annual simulations are performed using hourly meteorological and electricity-price data for Seville, with revenue-maximizing dispatch. Results show that HRB–propane achieves a similar annual energy yield to the steam-Rankine baseline while delivering 1.3 % higher revenue and reducing power-block costs by 9.8–28.6 %, thereby lowering levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by 1.2–4 %. Compared with ORC–toluene, HRB–propane offers similar profitability with lower pressure ratios and above-atmospheric condensation, reducing air-ingress risk and avoiding working-fluid vent losses associated with vacuum operation. These findings suggest that propane-based HRB cycles can improve the techno-economic performance of CSP plants below 400 °C, supporting their consideration for next-generation solar-thermal systems.
Descripción
The registered version of this article, first published in “Energy Conversion and Management: X, Vol. 29, 101430", is available online at the publisher's website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2025.101430
La versión registrada de este artículo, publicado por primera vez en “Energy Conversion and Management: X, Vol. 29, 101430", está disponible en línea en el sitio web del editor: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2025.101430
La versión registrada de este artículo, publicado por primera vez en “Energy Conversion and Management: X, Vol. 29, 101430", está disponible en línea en el sitio web del editor: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2025.101430
Categorías UNESCO
Palabras clave
Organic Rankine cycles, Concentrated solar power, Thermo-economic optimization, Brayton cycles, Rankine cycles, Levelized cost of energy (LCOE)
Citación
Antonio J. Subires, Antonio Rovira, Marta Muñoz, Thermo-economic assessment of an innovative power cycle for medium-temperature concentrated solar power plants, Energy Conversion and Management: X, Vol. 29, 101430, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2025.101430.
Centro
E.T.S. de Ingenieros Industriales
Departamento
Ingeniería Energética