The present invention allows increasing the net
electric power supplied to the network by the solar thermal power plants of the cylindrical parabolic collector type by using the
solar field in a more efficient manner, generating steam to drive the main ancillaries by means of steam turbines (turbo pumps), reducing
electric consumption of the ancillary services and therefore increasing the net
electric power of the
plant.On days when the solar
radiation is greater than the designed
radiation, part of the
solar field must stop being used since the generator and the
turbine would exceed its designated power. The present
system proposes harnessing the unused portion of the
solar field for generating steam to drive the main ancillaries of the
plant, energy which would otherwise not be harnessed.In addition, the overall operating performance of the
ancillary service pumps is better when using steam to drive the pumps through a
steam turbine (turbo pumps) instead of driving them with electric motors (motor pumps).