A methodology for selecting optimal components for solar thermal energy systems: Application to power generation

• Published in: Solar energy 1975-09, Vol.17 (4), p.245-254
• Main Author: Duff, William S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-092X(75)90006-7

A methodology is presented for determining the minimum-cost design for a solar thermal energy system. This approach builds up the minimum-cost system by adding one subsystem at a time until the desired system has been synthesized. At each step in the optimization procedure the intermediate system could be applied to an appropriate end use to find the minimum-cost design for that system. For example, a minimum-cost solar furnace could be designed. This systems optimization approach has two principal advantages over approaches that have traditionally been used for solar thermal energy systems. First, a vastly greater number of designs can be considered, and second. simplification of cost and performance models is not required. Cost and performance models may be in any form including talbes or equations that must be solved implicitly. An example of the systems optimization of the concentrator and absorber-heat exchanger subsystems is included. and the application of this approach to power generation is discussed.