ParaTrough v1.0: Librería en Modelica para Simulación de Plantas Termosolares

This paper describes a Modelica-based library developed to the modeling and simulation of solar thermal plants with parabolic trough collectors. The Dymola 6.1 environment has been used. Unlike other commercial tools, the ParaTrough library is offered as a free open source tool, under Modelica License 2. Its modular code makes it easily extensible and modifiable to the requirements of each plant and process in particular. In its current version 1.0, this library can be used for modeling and simulating the solar resource and the heat transfer fluid without phase change. The models have been validated with real data of an operating plant. ParaTrough can be freely used by process analysts for one or more of the following cases: performance assessment, fault detection, exploring new operation modes and plant optimization. While other elements can be added in future extensions, this contribution covers a new specific application area of Modelica and in its current state it facilitates the operation and maintenance of parabolic trough power plants.