CSP World

HelioFocus will launch a project to boost coal-fired power plants in conjunction with Chinese energy company, Taiqing. Scope of the project is 200 MW and its estimated value is approximately $340 million.

The Israeli company HelioFocus, held by ICG – the green division of Israel Corporation, and by the Chinese company Sanhua, signed a memorandum of understanding to execute a project to boost coal-fired power plants in Inner Mongolia. The memorandum is the second stage of a multi-staged plan for a solar city to be established in the region.

This constitutes a direct continuation of the completion of the first stage of the agreement between the two companies – construction of this stage was finished recently in Alasha, Inner Mongolia. The companies estimate that erection will begin in 2015, parallel to the erection of a 600 MW coal-fired power plant, currently at the planning stage.

This is the second memorandum for the HelioFocus company in China with the Taiqing company, parallel to additional customers, not from the private sector, but rather from the national governmental sector.

HelioFocus’ technology is based on large optical centers which follow the movement of the sun and heat regular air to a high temperature for steam turbines in power plants.

The company says that an examination of CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) technology and thermal energy performed by several bodies in the United States and China determined that HelioFocus’ technology is preferable over the other alternatives, and that boosting power plants in general and coal-fired plants in particular constitutes a technological advantage with financial value.

HelioFocus, established in 2007, is the first Israeli thermo-solar energy company operating in China by virtue of commercial cooperation agreements. The company deals with development of thermo-solar systems which combine high temperatures and maximal-annual hourly output, while preserving a low cost structure for the utilities market. Until today, the company has attained capital from IC Green Energy (ICG) – the investment branch of the Renewable Energies Division of the Israel Corporation, and from the Chinese Sanuha company. The company’s CEO is Mr. Oren Gadot, and the Chairman of the Board is Dr. Yom-Tov Samia.

The Heliofocus technology

All HelioFocus-developed solar applications use the same source of solar energy source: the dish, receiver, and heat logistics elements are used identically for the different solutions and applications. This configuration enables high commonality in hardware, achieving better cost values in high volume manufacturing. By combining several dishes in a branch, or by having a large-scale dish field configuration, thermal output for large scale consumers can be provided. The dish, receiver, heat logistics and overall system design innovations are patented technologies.

HelioFocus’ technology offers verious achievements:

• Producing maximum KW hour per installed KW
• Having the highest overall system efficiency
• Enabling a winning LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity) by directly addressing the overall product cost per installed KW.

The HelioFocus product offers the following benefits:

• A high-concentration parabolic dish which tracks the sun in two axes and maximizes the overall delivered power during the day.
• A proprietary volumetric receiver mounted at the dish focal point that absorbs the concentrated solar radiation energy. The receiver utilizes air as heat transfer fluid, converting solar radiation energy into heat and delivering high temperature air to the relevant applications.
• Unique Heat logistics elements

The Receiver

The main challenge is meeting high thermal efficiency requirements while working at up to 1000°c ranges. The Volumetric Receiver is the result of 20 years of research and development to achieve a high temperature and high efficiency solution with long term durability.

HelioFocus originally licensed an academic concept from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, amounting to more than two decades of research and study. Following almost two years of design and physical testing we now offer a commercial, high efficiency solution that meets the industry needs. The module is comprised of a carbon steel pressure vessel, high quality insulation, a ceramic absorber, and a transparent element (window) which enables solar radiation penetration and seals the receiver volume. HelioFocus’ know-how and expertise lies in the geometric design, the right combination of the thermal flow of air, the ceramic foam conductivity and window transparency (which achieves the desired overall thermal efficiency), and design for cost-materials, production, assembly and lifetime durability.

The company has several R&D versions and a commercial solution for this module, which was tested and qualified for operational use in a solar test facility.

The Parabolic Dish

Dishes, as optical concentrators, are well known. The key challenge is to provide a solution that meets cost per square meter goals. HelioFocus has the know-how of industry targets from existing technologies. We also know the right combination of mechanical strength and optical performance versus system needs to provide an optimal solution. This parameter is critical as the dish cost within the overall system cost is significant.

HelioFocus developed an optical and mechanical dish concept that enables great reduction of the system cost. The optical design of the dish achieves the highest possible cycle efficiency. The key challenge lies in achieving low cost per delivered kWh, compared to existing optical concentrators. The HelioFocus dish comprises simple carbon steel elements to form a solid structure, which supports an array of curved solar mirrors (2 axes).

The way the mirrors are placed on the metal structure (Fresnel) and the shape of the mirrors, creates a parabolic shaped approximation which provides the highest optical efficiency known today, compared with other optical concentrators such as the parabolic trough or heliostat. Additionally, the fact that the dish tracks the sun on two axes (rotation and elevation) increases the overall solar radiation utilization and enables more solar effective hours.

Heat Transmission System

The key challenge of the heat logistics system is to build up a heat transfer fluid system (high-temperature air from the receiver to the application consumer) with minimum heat losses and minimum electricity consumption for air circulation.

HelioFocus utilizes air as the heat transfer fluid. This creates a variety of technological challenges from corrosion allowance to sealing elements and swiveling joint solutions. The HelioFocus solution combines off-the-shelf products with material engineering and advanced analysis process. Our solution addresses both component and system-level design - the fruit of a long period of research and development, including performance modeling for heat losses and electricity consumption, according to the system needs and overall efficiency modeling.

HelioBooster - Solar Boosting For Existing Power Plants

Augmented solar solutions are an industry trend. The combination of solar field and a power plant makes it a winning solution for combined cycle power plants, which have the constraint of loosing efficiency in upper gas cycle due to high ambient temperature, or for coal plants by enabling a smaller carbon footprint.

Augmented solar solutions allow you to:

• leverage overall annual system efficiency
• burn less gas or coal thus reducing your carbon footprint
• reduce overall cost using power block transmission lines

All these benefits are wrapped in local solar tariffs and incentives.

Editor's note: This story has been updated on December 9.