# D5.3 Installation of the Power Block

Alain Ferriere

► To cite this version:

Alain Ferriere. D5.3 Installation of the Power Block. [Research Report] European Union. 2022. hal-04750961

HAL Id: hal-04750961

https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-04750961v1

Submitted on 28 Oct 2024

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POLYPHEM
THE FUTURE OF SMALL-SCALE CSP PLANTS

POLYPHEM
Small-Scale Solar Thermal Combined Cycle

D5.3 Installation of the power block

Date of delivery 01/09/2022

Author(s) Alain Ferriere

Institution/Company CNRS

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This project has received funding from the European
Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
under grant agreement No 764048.
## Document tracks

<table><tr><td>Identification</td><td>POLYPHEM_D5.3_Installation of the power block</td></tr><tr><td>TITLE OF DELIVERABLE</td><td>Installation of the power block</td></tr><tr><td>Author(s)</td><td>Alain Ferriere</td></tr><tr><td>Reviewers(s)</td><td>Lauriane Gonzalez</td></tr><tr><td>Related Work Package (s)</td><td>WP5: Manufacturing and installation of the prototype plant</td></tr><tr><td>Beneficiary responsible of delivery</td><td>CNRS</td></tr><tr><td>Due date of delivery</td><td>28/02/2022</td></tr><tr><td>Actual date of submission/revision</td><td>01/09/2022</td></tr><tr><td>Number of pages</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>SUMMARY</td><td>This document is the deliverable D5.3 of the project POLYPHEM. It is planned in the framework of the Work Package 5 (Manufacturing and installation of the prototype plant).<br/>The deliverable D5.3 is a demonstrator. It reports on the installation of the power block in the prototype plant at Themis site (France). The power block consists of the single ORC group, since the gas-turbine is not installed at Themis. The gas turbine has been constructed, installed and operated at the test-bench of KAEFER in Bremen (Germany).</td></tr><tr><td>Dissemination level</td><td>PU</td></tr><tr><td>Repository</td><td>https://dms.polyphem-project.eu</td></tr></table>

## Document History and Validation

<table><thead><tr><td>Date</td><td>Name</td><td>Comments</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>28/08/2022</td><td>Alain Ferriere</td><td>Creation</td></tr><tr><td>29/08/2022</td><td>Lauriane Gonzalez</td><td>Review 1</td></tr><tr><td>30/08/2022</td><td>Alain Ferriere</td><td>Final</td></tr></tbody></table>

All information in this document only reflects the author's view. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
## Background: about the POLYPHEM project

<table><tr><td>FULL TITLE</td><td>SMALL-SCALE SOLAR THERMAL COMBINED-CYCLE</td></tr><tr><td>Acronym</td><td>POLYPHEM</td></tr><tr><td>Call identifier</td><td>H2020 LCE-07-2017-RES-RIA-TwoStage</td></tr><tr><td>Instrument</td><td>Research and Innovation Action (RIA)</td></tr><tr><td>Grant Agreement N°</td><td>764048</td></tr><tr><td>Starting Date</td><td>01/04/2018</td></tr><tr><td>Duration</td><td>48 months</td></tr><tr><td>Website</td><td>https://www.polyphem-project.eu</td></tr><tr><td>Keywords</td><td>Renewable electricity; Energy collection, conversion and storage; Renewable energy</td></tr><tr><td>Additional keywords</td><td>Concentrated solar power; Solar tower system; Combined cycle; Gas-turbine; Thermal energy storage; Organic Rankine cycle; Process control</td></tr><tr><td>Beneficiaries</td><td>CNRS, CEA, CIEMAT, Arraela S.L., Fraunhofer ISE, Kaefer Isoliertechnik, Orcan Energy, Euronovia, Aalborg CSP</td></tr></table>

The POLYPHEM project is a research and innovation action funded by the European Union's H2020 program. It is implemented by a European consortium of 4 research centres and 5 industrial partners. The aim is to increase the flexibility and improve the performance of small solar tower power plants. The concept of POLYPHEM consists in implementing a combined cycle formed by a solarized micro gas-turbine and a Rankine organic cycle machine, with an integrated thermal storage device between the two cycles. The need for cooling is minimal.

Developed from a patented technology by CNRS and CEA, the pressurized air solar receiver is integrated in the micro-turbine cycle. The thermal efficiency targeted for the receiver is 80% with a cost of 400 €/kW. The innovative thermal storage uses a thermal oil and a single thermocline tank with a technical concrete filler material.

The main expected impact of this project is to enhance the competitiveness of low-carbon energy production systems through the technology developed. The expected progress is a better fitting of electricity generation to variable local needs, an overall conversion efficiency of solar energy into electricity of 18% for an investment cost of less than 5 €/W and a low environmental impact. By 2030, the cost of electricity production targeted by the POLYPHEM technology is 165 €/MWh for an annual direct normal irradiation of 2600 kWh/m²/year (North Africa and Middle East) and 209 €/MWh under 2050 kWh/m²/year (Southern Europe). In addition to decentralized power generation, other applications are considered for the deployment of this technology used in poly-generation: industrial heat production, solar heating and cooling, desalination of seawater or brackish water.

A prototype plant of 60 kWel with a thermal storage of 1300 kWh is designed, built and installed on the site of the experimental solar tower of Themis in Targasonne (France). The objective of the project is to validate the technical choices under test conditions representative of actual operating conditions.

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 764048
## Table of content

<table><tr><td>1. THE POWER BLOCK OF POLYPHEM</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>1.1 Installation of the GT</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>1.2 Installation of the ORC</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>2. SITUATION ON 31 AUGUST 2022</td><td>7</td></tr></table>

## List of Figures

<table><tr><td>Figure 1: Reinforced basement in concrete at Themis site (France)</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Figure 2: Delivery of ORC power block at Themis site</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Figure 3: Installation of the ORC machine at Themis site</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Figure 4: The ORC machine is installed on its supporting basement</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Figure 5: Installation of the thermal oil pipes (left) and of the load bank and damper (right)</td><td>7</td></tr></table>

## List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

<table><thead><tr><td>Acronym/abbreviation</td><td>Meaning/full text</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>CNRS</td><td>Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique</td></tr><tr><td>ORC</td><td>Organic Rankine Cycle</td></tr><tr><td>PU</td><td>Public</td></tr><tr><td>μGT</td><td>Micro gas-turbine</td></tr></tbody></table>
# 1. THE POWER BLOCK OF POLYPHEM

The power block of POLYPHEM consists of a combined cycle. The top cycle is a micro gas-turbine (µGT) of nominal power 60 kWe. It is constructed and supplied by KAEFER. The bottom cycle is an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) of maximum power 37 kWe. It is constructed and supplied by ORCAN Energy.

## 1.1 INSTALLATION OF THE GT

The GT has been installed and tested in the test facility of KAEFER in Bremen (Germany). This action is reported in the deliverable D2.7 Demonstrator on the factory pre-test of gas turbine package and ORC module, dated 30/08/2022.

The gas turbine is not installed at Themis site, because the solar receiver could not be delivered, as it is reported in the deliverable D5.2 *Manufacturing and installation of the solar receiver*, dated on 11/01/2022.

## 1.2 INSTALLATION OF THE ORC

In October 2021, CNRS prepared the ground to install the ORC machine on a reinforced basement.

<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1: Reinforced basement in concrete at Themis site (France)</figcaption></figure>

The ORC machine was constructed and tested by ORCAN Energy in Germany. It was shipped to France in February 2022 and stored at Themis site until it was installed.

<figure><img src="image_7.png" /><figcaption>Figure 2: Delivery of ORC power block at Themis site</figcaption></figure>
The ORC machine was finally installed on 21 March 2022.

<figure><img src="image_8.png" /><figcaption>Figure 3: Installation of the ORC machine at Themis site</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_9.png" /><figcaption>Figure 4: The ORC machine is installed on its supporting basement</figcaption></figure>

The thermal oil pipes were installed by the end of March 2022. The load bank and damper supplied by ORCAN Energy were installed and connected to the ORC on 01 April 2022.
<figure><img src="image_10.png" /><figcaption>Figure 5: Installation of the thermal oil pipes (left) and of the load bank and damper (right)</figcaption></figure>

## 2. SITUATION ON 31 AUGUST 2022

The Grant Agreement of POLYPHEM ends on 31 August 2022. At this date, the ORC is installed, the piping is finished, the actuators are installed (by-pass valves). The machine is ready to be commissioned by ORCAN and CNRS. The commissioning is scheduled in the week #37 (12-16 Sep 2022).