A breakthrough concrete mega tank for thermal fluids storage over 500ºC in thermal solar energy generation

Project Information

TANKRETE

Grant agreement ID: 866633

DOI

10.3030/866633

Project closed

EC signature date 24 April 2019

Start date 1 May 2019

End date 31 October 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

INCRESCENDO CONSULTORES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TANKRETE (A breakthrough concrete mega tank for thermal fluids storage over 500ºC in thermal solar energy generation)

Reporting period: 2019-05-01 to 2019-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is one of the most promising forms of renewable energy. However, it has one important drawback: the high initial investment costs, which makes it less competitive than other renewable alternatives. This situation worsens as, despite their youth, some of the first CSP operating plants are facing troubling issues with one of their key elements, the molten salts mega tanks, which constitute the core of the CSP’s Thermal Energy Storage (TES) areas. These are usually large stainless-steel tanks, costing not less than €10M. The high temperatures and corrosion to which these tanks are subjected endanger their durability. Recently, some settlements and even breakages of these tanks in commercial plants have been reported.
To tackle these problems, InCrescendo proposes TANKRETE: a cylindrical tank with an isolating foundation system, all manufactured with thermal concretes. This solution is based on the unique combination of innovative materials (structural-accumulative and isolating concretes), together with InCrescendo’s wide experience in thermal-structural designs of tanks completely constructed with concrete. TANKRETE enables its immediate applicability, being perfectly compatible with current commercial plants’ technologies and systems.
Increscendo is currently working with the leading companies in the field (ABENGOA, SENER, ACCIONA and COBRA among others). In 2014, after 4 years in direct contact with thermal solar developments around the world, we decided to take the next step in the energy storage designs, improving not only the long-term durability of the elements and the carbon footprint of the materials to be used, but also optimizing the budget of the whole system. This is the origin of our idea to improve the TES area with a determined commitment to research and innovate.
Tankrete is a high-potential/high-risk project. We have the customers net and we have raised their interest. However, due to the high investment that the purchase requires, they ask for a more adequately sized pilot unit to be tested closest to real commercial plants conditions. The key goal of this project is to confirm our preliminary data through a Feasibility Study, and then we will pursue the pilot unit construction to reach the pre-commercialization and pre-industrialization stage.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

"The work performed can be summarised as follows:
- We have updated our market data and achieved deeper knowledge about these key aspects: (1) market size and in-depth characteristics analysis; (2) segments to tackle and the potential customers that operates on them; (3) identification of most suitable potential customers to host the pilot unit, contacts and engagement activities; (4) “turnkey solution” model definition.
- A thorough patents search has been performed to guarantee TANKRETE’s ""Freedom to operate"" (FTO), whose results lead us to assure that no current patent is a serious barrier to our innovation. None of the patents analysed would conflict with TANKRETE, because none of them describes either our designs, or our materials. In addition, there is an outstanding current trend in this field to advance in the development of different and novel TES systems, in all of them are necessary thermal structures to store the energy, so Tankrete could be addressed to these new potential clients.
- We have defined the pilot’s preliminary dimensions and geometry. Taking them as a basis, we have issued a complete draft for the technical work plan to achieve TANKRETE’s transition from current TRL6 status to TRL9, with a detailed definition of 5 Work Packages (WP), tasks and main outcomes from all phases, as well as a project schedule and preliminary budget. Subcontracting needs have been identified in tasks where they are critical. The most important ones are included in WP3, which is devoted to the validation stage of our prototype.
- A thorough Business Plan for TANKRETE has been issued, which has been shown in the Deliverable report as a very brief summary. Results are optimistic and TANKRETE’s market launch will result on an increase of our international dimension and will positively impact our commercial and financial indicators. We also include a comprehensive risk analysis and a detailed plan of how to prevent, mitigate or prepare the occurrence of these risks.
Conclusions: we will pursue the project. We have decided to submit a proposal for an EIC Accelerator to fund our TANKRETE pilot unit, so we can provide reliable results to our potential customers."

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

TANKRETE proposes a new engineering solution for TES, based on a cylindrical tank with an isolating foundation system, all made with patented specific thermal concretes.
- This tank can be used for:
1. TES area for receiver towers (temperatures from 350 ºC to 590ºC).
2. TES area for parabolic trough collectors (temperatures from 320 ºC to 400ºC).
3. Industrial environments with high temperatures thermodynamic processes.
TANKRETE’s main features are:
- Long term structural stability and durability (>25 years).
- Simplification of the auxiliary facilities and no need of changes/adaptation in current technologies.
- Design flexibility: geometry suitable for any volume, different shapes, etc.
- Greater security in the event of possible tank breakage, avoiding contamination of soil and/or underground aquifers.
- Lower economic investment (20% reduction in construction costs compared to current solutions).
- Relevant saving in the minimum salts volume based on future design developments: a 3-4% in the salts budget.
- Higher working temperatures (700 ºC) can be achieved within our Tankrete, what means an additional energy available for electricity production.
- Simple or double wall designs are possible, so precasting designs could be achievable in a short term, meaning a more competitive solution in cost and time.

- It could be placed both aerial and underground, lowering the visual impact and the occupied area.
TANKRETE offers to our CUSTOMERS (principally plant developers and EPCs) reliability through long term structural stability and durability; compatibility with current technologies and operating plants; CAPEX reduction (20% lower); higher efficiency and lower running costs; and avoidance of plant stoppages and their related income loss, due to tanks failures as reported in the last years
The Business Plan shows that TANKRETE will create a business opportunity for InCrescendo with accumulated turnover of €288 million and net profit of €32 million in the five years after market introduction (2022-2026).
SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND IMPACT AND WIDER SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS: Solar thermal power plants provide a flexible, high-quality energy production that does not involve environmental damages in surrounding ecosystems. The main benefit of CSP systems is in replacing the power generated by fossil fuels, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. TANKRETE will help boost CSP by reducing its investment costs, and enabling industry development and higher levels of energy efficiency. The usage of CSP could create jobs, boost economies and might help to reduce the risks of energy related conflicts.
In addition, our tank is made of concrete, replacing current steel, which is one of the materials that contribute most to CO2 emissions in its manufacture.

Tankrete's images: different computational models and thermal concretes