New Trends in Designing Parabolic trough Solar Concentrators and Heat Storage Concrete Systems in Solar Power Plants

Abstract

This Chapter gives a general view related to the last experiences R & D in the field of new technologies for solar energy exploitation within the Italian context, directly exportable abroad due to the followed design and analysis methodologies. The main structures and elements characterizing a solar power plant with parabolic-trough solar concentrators and a double-tank below ground system are studied, evidencing the fundamental design and modelling results. From the process of analysis and verification of a 100 m parabolic trough solar concentrator, with reference to each system, subsystem and construction details, some remarks can be evidenced. Within this design approach, four operational states corresponding to different design winds, i.e. W1 = 7 km/h, W2 = 14 km/h, W3 = 21 km/h e W4 = 28 km/h, have been defined, to which two SLSs (for medium wind) and two ULSs (for peak wind) are respectively associated. Then, considering that the snow load acts simultaneously with the self-weight and with some probability contemporaneously with the wind load, the following conclusions can be stated: Concentration system: the adoption of a 3D FE model, corresponding to a 12 m module, has been considered as adequate to perform such a design and verification procedure. Safety or functioning problems have not been evidenced in the SLSs, linked to the operational states with W1 and W2 wind types. With reference to the elastic ULS (ELS), the maximum value for the eq has been locally overcome (higher and middle part of the centering and some zones connecting the centering with the frames); such trend has been confirmed in the collapse ULSs. Torque system (omissis): the adoption of a simplified 3D FE model, in which the structure is characterized by a series of beams with sections of appropriate bending and torsion.