CSP plant for district heating

Aalborg CSP has exploited the experience and knowhow from developing utility sized applications to develop concentrated solar power (CSP) technology for distributors of district heating. The technology is a system of parabolic troughs, which work as an add-on application to existing district heating plant. By applying CSP technology in the production of district heating you deliver heat, hot water and cooling with zero emissions and provide price stability for the consumers.

The point of origin for the CSP technology takes it’s point of departure in a logic enforcing the sun: if the sun’s rays hit a surface there is a direct impact, but if the rays are reflected onto a burning point, a concentration of the energy occur and a significant better utilization of the suns energy is obtained.

The CSP technology is, for producing district heating, a system of parabolic shaped mirrors. The mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays onto a pipe running through the parabolic shaped mirrors’ burning point. The solar energy heats the water in the pipes to the desired temperature (80-95 degrees C) and pumps it directly or indirectly out to the district heating pipelines. 

The great advantage the CSP technology holds over traditional solar panels, in the production of district heating, is that the parabolic troughs have a sun tracking technology. The parabolic troughs use this custom designed sun tracking technology, where a computer calculates and calibrates the troughs into the required position for receiving the optimal radiation of sun throughout the day.

The sun tracking technology is calibrating the troughs for obtaining optimal sun radiation, but the system can also defocus the mirrors or shut them down if required. By doing so the CSP technology is avoiding problems like overproduction of heat.

The CSP technology is a perfect match with an accumulation cistern. By setting the heat production temperature to 95-98 degrees a good exploration of the accumulation cistern is obtained, and for days where the production is high enough to provide enough heated water to exploit the full capacity of the accumulation cistern, the parabolic troughs can defocus till the capacity issue has passed.

When the sun shines the CSP system produces heats. The CSP technology can therefore produce heat year around. The sun tracking technology enables the CSP system to have a very high efficiency pr. m2 mirrors. Suppliers of district heating can therefore experience a much better utilization of land than with traditional solar panels.