A CO2-capturing hybrid power-generation system with highly efficient use of solar thermal energy

Characteristics have been investigated for the proposed system. Saturated steam is produced at a relatively low temperature and is used as the working fluid for a methane-fired gas-turbine system. The solar thermal utilization efficiency is considerably higher than that for conventional solar thermal power plants in which superheated steam near 670 K is used. The proposed hybrid system recovers generated CO2 during combustion with oxygen. Characteristics of the system with 10,000 m(2) collector area were estimated on the basis of a computer simulation model. The net generated power was 1.55 MW, the capacity factor 21.5% and the total exergetic efficiency 20.9% when the temperature of the saturated steam is 496 K. Based on the consumed fuel, the net thermal system efficiency is 63.7%. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.