This paper presents a novel method to optimize thermal balance in parabolic trough collector (PTC) plants. It uses a market-based system to distribute flow among loops combined with an artificial neural network (ANN) to reduce computation and data requirements. This auction-based approach balances loop temperatures, accommodating varying thermal losses and collector efficiencies. Validation across different thermal losses, optical efficiencies, and irradiance conditions-sunny, partially cloudy, and cloudy-show improved thermal power output and intercept factors compared to a no-allocation system. It demonstrates scalability and practicality for large solar thermal plants, enhancing overall performance. The method was first validated through simulations on a realistic solar plant model, then adapted and successfully tested in a 50 MW solar trough plant, demonstrating its advantages. Furthermore, the algorithms have been implemented, commissioned, and are currently operating in 13 commercial solar trough plants.
View on arXiv@article{ruiz-moreno2025_2504.01652,
title={ Market-Oriented Flow Allocation for Thermal Solar Plants: An Auction-Based Methodology with Artificial Intelligence },
author={ Sara Ruiz-Moreno and Antonio J. Gallego and Antonio J. Gallego and Antonio J. Gallego },
journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.01652},
year={ 2025 }
}