Prof. Gus Nathan - Univerisity of Adelaide

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University of Adelaide 1

Potential of Concentrating Solar thermal for remote applications such as mining

Gus Nathan, Bassam Dally, Peter Ashman, Woei Saw, Mehdi Jafarian.Sydney 22 March, 2017


The Centre for Energy Technology• Multi-disciplinary team - within the

Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources– 35 academic staff– 10 post docs & > 60 PhD students– Engineering & Sciences

• Strong links with industry– 70 recent consultancies– $12m in joint R&D programs– Industry Advisory Board

• Strong Research outputs– > 140 Journal papers p.a.– 1 to 2 patents per year

• Significant budget– Approx $8m p.a. (external cash)

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CET Research PrioritiesCarbon abatement with new technologies in:1. Sustainable Power

– Solar thermal, clean combustion, wind & ocean– Hybrid technologies & thermal energy storage

2. Sustainable Fuels and process heat– Production of algal-based feed-stocks– Solar fuels, gasification, hydrothermal liquefaction

3. Sustainable Networks– Electrical energy storage technology– Networks, power quality

4. Sustainable Minerals Processing– Solar thermal hybrid processing, combustion– Alumina, cement, copper


Key drivers for CST in remote mines/minerals processing• Low cost of stored renewable energy• Readily hybridised for low-cost base-load• Strong potential to unlock stranded assets:

low-cost process heat Locally generated/upgraded fuels

Ivanpah Power Station by BrightsourceMojave Desert, California392 MWe from three towers

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Boiler / Receiver

Condenser

Pump(Compressor) Turbine +

Generator

Thermal Energy Power Generation


Boiler / Receiver

Condenser


Generator

Thermal Energy Power GenerationThermal storage unit

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Anda-Sol 3 Solar Plant, Molten salt storage


Typical commercial two-tank thermal storage plant

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Some storage lowers the LOCE

LCOE for 60MWe solar trough plant relative to case with no storage Lovegrove (2012) “Realising the potential of concentrating solar power in Australia, ITPower


Trends in cost

IEA Technology Roadmap - Solar Thermal Electricity, 2014

Cost reductions exceed predictionsSolarReserve announced US$63/MW.h• 450 MW plant, Tamarugal, Chille • 13 hours storage, totalling 5.6 GW.h• Hybrid, dual fuel back-up

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Costs of CSP for 3-10 MW in Australia

Vast Solar, Gemalong, NSW

• More expensive than large-scale, grid connected Power block becomes less efficient at smaller scale Greater significance of O&M Remote sites always increase costs

• Modularisation will offset capital cost through mass production 3MW modules are comercially available


The Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute

Heliostat technology

Thermal Storage: latent, chemical & sensible Super-critical CO2 Power-block

Operation and MaintenanceHigh temperature receivers

Solar fuels

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The Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute


Relevance of Hybrid CSP for remote applications • Baseload power with significant fuel savings• Inherent inertia (thermal generator)• Inherent FCAS (spinning turbine)• Access to lower cost fuels than diesel;

e.g. LPG / CNG• Emerging technology will continue to lower costs

hybrids to more efficiently integrate New power blocks and storage technology

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Boiler

Condenser


Generator

Solar Thermal is well suited to hybridisation


Conventional Solar Tower Hybrid

Nathan, Battye, Ashman (2014). Applied Energy, 113, 1235–1243

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Hybrid Solar Receiver Combustor

SteamGen. EPGS

SteamFuel supply line

CPCAperture Shutter

Hybrid Receiver Combustor

Cold Storage TankFuel supply systemHeliostat Field

Circulated Molten Salt

Hot Storage Tank

Nathan, Battye, Ashman (2014). Applied Energy, 113, 1235–1243


Hybrid Solar Receiver Combustor

Nathan, Dally, Ashman, Steinfeld (2013). PCT Patent App #PCT/AU2013/000326

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Benefits and Challenges relative to back-up boilerBenefits Capital cost reduced by 20% (Nathan et al., Applied Energy, 2014) Reduced Fuel consumption 40% (Lim et al., Applied Energy, 2016) Reduced LCOE 17% (Lim et al., Applied Energy 2016)Challenges: Different heat flux for combustion & CST Need to mitigate heat losses during mixed mode

Chinnici, Tian, Lim, Nathan Dally, (2016). Solar Energy (In press)


Other emerging applications for High Temp CSTELECTRICITY

• Steam turbine• gas turbine• Future cycles

SOLAR TRANSPORTION FUELS• Solar gasification of biomass or coal • Capitalises on recent “mini-GTL” technology

PROCESS HEAT• Metals refining• Cement production• Direct or via syngas

Image: CSIRO, Newcastle, Australia

Heat is used directly conc-sol 85%Inefficient power cycle

conc-sol 35%

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Characteristics of minerals processingTemperature compatible with CST: 800 – 1400 CContinuous processing at steady stateCapital intensive, long life and low margins Risk-Averse Sector

Technology options to minimise risk: Hybrid systems with continuous processing Low carbon fuels


Potential hybrid solar flash calciner for alumina

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ETH/CET solar vortex reactor

Demonstrated for gasification of coke (Z’Graggen et al., JHE, 2006) Heats particles ( 100 m) by direct irradiation High purge rate is required to prevent damage to window

Potentially adaptable to hybrid reactor for alumina (Davis et al., submitted, 2016) Oxidative environment offers potential to avoid window Potentially to add fuel to operate in hybrid mode;


Solar-only Calcination

Davis, Miller, Saw, Steinfeld, Nathan (2016), High Temperature Processing Symposium

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Product Quality Improvements

SEM Micrograph10,000 magnification


Emerging opportunities for renewable fuels & oxygenApplicable to existing industrial processes:

Low risk, applicable to continuous process; Greatly simplifies retrofit: less site restrictions.

Value proposition for renewable fuels Avoided infrastructure costs, e.g. pipeline for stranded resource Avoided costs for CO2 capture and sequestration Reduced exposure to increased prices for current fuels

Value proposition for renewable oxygen Reduced electrical demand and operating costs:

Current technology is expensive and energy intensive Emerging RedOx technologies is non-electric & offers 3increase in efficiency;

Offers avoided electrical infrastructure upgrade for expansions

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Drivers for solar gasification

Biomass(coal)Conventional Gasification

O2+

CO2

ProcessingPlant (e.g. FT)H2O

COH2

Biomass(coal) Gasification

+ Heat

Synthetic Diesel

Solar Gasification

CO2

Opportunities Increased production Higher purity syngas Lower net CO2

Challenges: Variable solar resource Less mature technology


Dual-Bed solar-hybrid gasification

• Hot-bed thermal storage• Hybrid: Biomass char used to maintain firm supply

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Levelised Cost of Fuel: re 2020 data

Saw et al. (2016), Internal report to ARENA.


Concentrated Solar Thermal: significant potential for RAPS > 3MW Low cost of thermal storage – significant fuel savings Ease of hybridisation – access to lower cost fuels for baseload

CST is commercially available for some remote applications Power generation (with hybrids) for >3MW Process heat (steam or air) to 500C

Technology is emerging for process heat and fuels Process heat for alumina calcination to 1000C Production of syngas from a range of feedstock

Rapid cost reductions are anticipated in next 5 years Mass production of heliostats set to lower costs Significant R&D effort to increase efficiency and lower cost

Final Comments

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Centre for Energy TechnologyDirector: Professor Gus Nathan W: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/cet/T: +61 (0)8 831 31448E: [email protected]

Thankyou!