On, Dec 28, 2017, Shouhang IHW signed an agreement on technology cooperation of supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle coupled with CSP plant with EDF.

Part of main content as below:

1.    Collaboration context

Shouhang IHW is a high-tech enterprise, the industries that Shouhang IHW is involved include concentrated solar power (CSP) generation, air cooling system, waste heat recovery, desalination system, industrial waste water zero emission system, EPC and project investment. In the domain of CSP, Shouhang IHW has one 10MWe CSP Tower with molten salt under operation in Dunhuang, and another 100MWe CSP Tower with molten salt and 50MW parabolic trough plant are under construction in Dunhuang and Delingha. Shouhang IHW is interested in developing supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle coupled with CSP, and some preliminary research has been started in Shouhang IHW regarding equipment design and system integration.

EDF is a global leader in low-carbon energy. EDF covers every main sector of expertise, from generation to transmission and consumption. On power generation side, EDF has a 140 GWe installed power capacity in total, and is the biggest nuclear operator in the world. In CSP industry, EDF participates in the commercial project bidding in emerging countries (Noor III, DEWA IV, Noor Midelt, etc.), and carries out various R&D works which cover molten salt tower technology, high-temperature solar receiver and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle. The R&D projects include campaign studies, equipment predesign, cycle design and optimization, numerical simulation, innovative technology assessment, etc.

The collaboration between Shouhang and EDF, which combines the competence and expertise from both sides on CSP and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle, is able to promote the related technology development and the competitiveness in related industry both for Shouhang IHW and EDF.

2.    Collaboration content

Based on the common interest on CSP technology and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle, Shouhang IHW and EDF will collaborate on three topics:

(1) Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle technology

Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle, compared to conventional Rankine steam cycle, has the advantage of higher efficiency, simpler layout and more compact equipment. Shouhang IHW has rich experience on equipment design and system integration, and EDF has been working on supercritical

CO2 Brayton cycle since 2010 and has well-established experience on construction and operation of power plant. Combining the competences of both sides, building a demonstration solar-heated supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle and conducting research works on this demonstration loop will be beneficial for Shouhang IHW to get a leading position on this technology and for EDF to better assess the feasibility of this technology.

(2) CSP technology

Shouhang IHW, based on its 10MWe molten salt tower CSP plant in operation and its 50MWe Parabolic Trough ,100MWe molten slat tower CSP under construction, builds rich experience on design, construction and operation of CSP plant. EDF, which has well-established expertise on
investment, construction and operation of power plant, is focusing on CSP industry and is bidding for international CSP projects with molten salt tower technology. In the meanwhile, EDF R&D carries out a lot CSP-related researched works. Combining the expertise of both sides on molten salt tower CSP technology, Shouhang IHW and EDF could collaborate on research and development of molten salt tower CSP technologies and high-temperature solar receiver (e.g. air receiver, particle receiver, etc.), in order to solve related problems and to improve the competitiveness of both sides in CSP industry.

3.    Collaboration management

3.1 A collaboration steering committee is organized, to meet every two months to discuss the progress of any collaboration project and any new research progresses as well as any opportunities for further collaborations. The term of validity is 5 years.

3.2 Based on the above collaboration contents, both party promised to sign an officially detailed collaboration agreement/contract within 2 months of the signing of this Agreement, in order to define the rights and obligations of both parties.

4. Financing

4.1 This project is designed as a technical collaboration. Each party shall bear its own cost and expenses in its work scope. No financial exchange is involved between both parties.

Relevant conference: CSP Focus China 2018, Beijing, China, March 22-23th