Field Thermal efficiency - Linear Fresnel MS - CSP

Hi Miguel,

Those results seem to indicate something wrong with the inputs. The field thermal power absorbed should be positive, and as you note, the field thermal efficiency should be between zero and one.

Would you mind attaching the .sam file that generated these results?

Best regards,
Paul.

Hi Miguel,

I think the problem is with the data in the Andasol.csv file. If you change the weather file in the Andasol_Fresnel case to daggett, the results look more reasonable.

The Andasol.csv weather file has a column for Dew Point Temperature, but the values are all zeros. The table in SAM's Help topic "Weather Data Elements" (under "Weather Data" in the table of contents) shows what weather data is required for the CSP models, including linear Fresnel.

Best regards,
Paul.

Hi Miguel,

Unfortunately, we do not have a complete list of definitions for all of the CSP hourly outputs in SAM.

You can find publications describing the models here:

sam.nrel.gov/concentrating-solar-power/csp-publications.html

For the linear Fresnel molten salt model, the field thermal efficiency is very close to field thermal power produced / field thermal power absorbed.

I will ask the CSP team for a more precise definition of the field thermal efficiency.

Best regards,
Paul.