On Dec 19th, 2016, “Code for Design of Solar Tower Power Plant”, a national code jointly developed and drafted by China Electricity Council (CEC), the Engineering Research Institute of China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (CEECL) and other associated institutions, has been open for public opinions and the deadline for the opinions will be on Feb 20th, 2017.
The chief editorial units of this national code are CEC and the Engineering Research Institute of CEECL. And the participating editorial units include: China Power Engineering Consulting Group Co., Ltd. (CPECC), Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd. of China Power Engineering Consulting Group (NWEPDI), Zhejiang SUPCON Solar Technology Co., Ltd, China Energy Engineering Group Xinjiang Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd (XJEPDI), Huanghe Hydropower Development Co., Ltd (HHD), State Nuclear Electric Power Planning, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (SNPDRI), Hebei Electric Power Design & Research Institute (HEPDRI), Shanghai Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd (SEPDI), Inner Mongolia Power Survey & Design Institute Co., Ltd (IMPSDI) and Dongfang Bolier Group Co.,Ltd (DBC) of Dongfang Electric Corporation.
The main content of this code includes: general, terminologies, basic regulations, electric power system requirements, solar power resource assessment, sites selection, overall planning, layout of concentrator field, layout of power generation area, concentrator system & equipment, heat transfer, heat accumulation & heat exchange system & equipment, steam turbine & system, water treatment equipment & system, information system, instruments & control, electrical equipment & system, water engineering facilities & system, auxiliary system & associated facilities, building & structure, heating, ventilation & air conditioning, environmental protection and conservation of water & soil, occupational safety & occupational health, fire prevention, etc. .
Of which, there are key technical points in five aspects:
1.Solar power resource assessment, planning for solar tower power plant, sites selection, including assessment of the rich solar power resource in the northwest and southwest of China; it shall be considered that the planning for solar tower power plant and site selection may be affected by factors of the external environment such as lower average temperature, sand & dust, highland, strong wind and inadequate water resource.
2. When it comes into the critical technology of concentrator field and general layout design, the following factors shall be taken into consideration: the spectral characteristic of sunlight, the optical aberration of wide-angle incident light, and the optical design of heliostat being affected by the angle of divergence. Also the following factors shall be considered for the general layout: the location of the heliostat, height of the tower, landform, and the acceptance angle of the heat receiver, etc..
3. The critical technology for design of heat receiving (delivery) system and heat accumulation system; the research on the patterns & parameters of heat transfer and heat accumulation, the performance & parameters of major equipment; an integrated design scheme can be developed for the working medium of heat accumulation/ heat exchange coupling.
4. The critical technology of solar tracking & integrated control, including research on the tracking & positioning technology and the control technology, monitoring of meteorological parameters for operation under various kinds of working conditions, monitoring of parameter of electrical power system, control of concentrator, strategy of central control & coordinated management of heat system & power generation system.
5. When it comes into the critical technology for design of power generation system of solar tower power plant and the research on the integration of the heat system of “sunlight collecting-heat receiving-heat transfer-heat accumulation-power generation”, the following factors are expected to be taken into consideration: the external environment, such as wind, sand and water; analysis shall be done for many working conditions; a plan shall be developed for the system composition of solar tower power plant under various meteorological conditions.
It is said that the compiling work of this code has already started as early as April 17th, 2015. Meetings were held to sort out the drafts three times in March, October and December. The current draft which is open to public comments has been modified several times, so that the detail can be improved. When the draft is close to public comments, it will be submitted for approval and official release.
