Dynamic Real-Time Optimization of a Solar Thermal Plant during Daytime

Alix Untrau (1) , Sabine Sochard (1) , Frédéric Marias (1) , Jean-Michel Reneaume (1) , Galo A.C. Le Roux (2) , Sylvain Serra (1)

1 LATEP - Laboratoire de Génie Thermique Énergétique et Procédés (EA1932)
2 Escola Politécnica da USP (Sao Paulo, Brésil)

In this work, an economic Dynamic Real-Time Optimization (DRTO) of the operation of a solar thermal plant is conducted. A planning phase is used to improve the use of storage, and a storage state target is included in the objective function of the DRTO. The weight of this term in the objective function is adjusted. The trajectories for the flow rates obtained with the DRTO algorithm are used in a simulation model undergoing disturbances on the solar irradiation. This methodology is compared with a simulation following the flow rate trajectories obtained during the planning phase. The results show an improvement in the total expenses and the percentage of solar energy used to satisfy the demand, with a reasonable tracking of the storage state target, bringing good perspectives for the implementation of the method in a real environment.

Keywords: Dynamic real-time optimization; solar thermal energy; simulation

Domains: Thermics [physics.class-ph]; Chemical and Process Engineering

Alix Untrau, Sabine Sochard, Frédéric Marias, Jean-Michel Reneaume, Galo A.C. Le Roux, et al.. Dynamic Real-Time Optimization of a Solar Thermal Plant during Daytime. 32nd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, 51, Elsevier, pp.1105-1110, 2022, Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, ⟨10.1016/B978-0-323-95879-0.50185-5⟩. ⟨hal-03810444⟩