CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería-CESA-1
TA17 – CIEMAT-PSA-CESA-1
Location
Ctra. de Senés, km. 4,5
4200 Tabernas, Spain
Description
The Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) is recognised as a major European scientific facility by the European Commission and is also the largest and most complete research and development (R&D) centre in the world dedicated to solar thermal concentrating systems, solar desalination and photochemistry. It is a privileged place for the development, evaluation, demonstration, and transfer of solar concentrating technologies, both for thermal applications and for chemical processes. It offers researchers a location with insolation and climate characteristics similar to those of developing countries of the equatorial belt with the advantages of owning the largest scientific facilities among European countries. The PSA consists of solar concentrating and solar water treatment facilities that are unique in the world due to their variety and size. A CESA-1 central receiver system of 6 MWth is used to test components such as heliostats, solar receivers, thermal energy storage, solarised gas turbines, control systems and concentrated high flux solar radiation measurement instrumentation.
Heliostat prototypes characterisation:
The service consists of the optical characterisation of new and innovative heliostat prototypes in the heliostat characterisation platform place in the CESA-I solar field. The tests could include the heliostat optical quality at solar noon, the diurnal evolution of the heliostat optical quality, the tracking quality of the heliostat, the performance of the heliostat under different windy conditions, electrical consumption, etc.
Open/Close volumetric receivers’ characterisation:
The service consists of the thermal evaluation of new and innovative open/close volumetric receivers under different working conditions in the CESA-I facility. The tests could include the evaluation under steady and transient conditions, start-up and shut down procedures, thermal evaluation of the instantaneously receiver efficiency, etc.
Tubular receivers’ characterisation:
The service consists of the thermal evaluation of new and innovative tubular receivers under different working conditions in the CESA-I facility. The tests could include the evaluation under steady and transient conditions, start-up and shut down procedures, thermal evaluation of the instantaneously receiver efficiency, etc.
Testing Capabilities
The CESA-1 central receiver system is used for testing heliostat prototypes, open/close volumetric receivers, and tubular receivers.
Technical Equipment
CESA-1 central receiver system of 6 MWth for testing components such as heliostats, solar receivers, thermal energy storage, solarised gas turbines, control systems, and high flux solar radiation measurement instrumentation, as well as a platform for optical characterisation of heliostat prototypes, equipment for characterisation of open/close volumetric receivers and tubular receivers, including thermal evaluation under various operating conditions.
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 7 or above
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: CSP/STE, Energy Storage, Materials for Energy
Website: https://www.psa.es
Availability: All year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: Yes
