version 2018.11.11 - csp plants

I have two questions:

first question is: on 2018.11.11 version, solar tower plants can only be air cooled? I tried water cooled (evaporative) and got a negative capacity factor;

second question is: on 2018.11.11 version, for parabolic trough I have an a hourly result called "system power generated". For solar tower I didn't find the same variable as a result, so I ask if "total electric power to grid w/avail.derate (kWe)", that is available for solar tower, is the same as "system power generated", or, what is the difference between them.

Thank you very much!

Denise Matos.

Hi Denise,

The power tower model evaporative cooling option was fixed in SAM 2020.2.29. It does not work in SAM 2018.11.11: sam.nrel.gov/forum/forum-general/2929 .

Yes, in SAM 2018.11.11, the power tower model "total electric power to grid w/avail.derate (kWe)" output variable is equivalent to "system power generated" for the other models. As of SAM 2020.2.29, the power tower model uses the name "system power generated" to be consistent with the other models.

Thanks,
Paul.