Abstract
This research examines the effect of using Bayburt stone or basalt as an energy storage unit in SCPPs. The effect of using low-cost materials on the system performance is evaluated. Based on the Manzanares pilot plant (MPP), a 3D CFD model was created. Geometric parameters were kept constant in simulations performed with ANSYS FLUENT engineering commercial software. In addition to DO (discrete coordinates) for the radiation model, the solar ray-tracing algorithm (SRTA) and the RNG k-e turbulence model (RNGTM) were solved, coupled, and the outputs of the system were evaluated at outdoor temperatures of 290 and 300 K. The temperature and velocity distributions, as well as power outputs (PO) of the system by using Bayburt stone and basalt as ground material, are compared for different outdoor temperatures and solar radiation conditions. It is understood that the use of both materials contributes to the performance of the system at a similar rate and can be used economically. It is noticed that the plant gives a PO of approximately 41,636 kW with both storage materials at a radiation intensity of 800 W/m(2) and an outdoor temperature of 300 K. It is seen that the outdoor temperature affects the temperature rise in the plant, which is higher at 290 K.