Publications Details
A model library of solar thermal electric components for the computer code TRNSYS
A new approach to modeling solar thermal electric plants using the TRNSYS simulation environment is discussed. The TRNSYS environment offers many advantages over currently used tools, including the option to more easily study the hybrid solar/fossil plant configurations that have been proposed to facilitate market penetration of solar thermal technologies. A component library developed for Rankine cycle, Brayton cycle, and solar system modeling is presented. A comparison between KPRO and TRNSYS results for a simple Rankine cycle show excellent correlation.