| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
Materials Science & Technology 2020
|
| Symposium
|
Advanced Materials for Harsh Environments
|
| Presentation Title |
Air Stable Molten Salts and Corrosion Resistant Containment for High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage and Heat Transfer for Concentrated Solar Power |
| Author(s) |
Adam S. Caldwell, Grigorios Itskos, Kenneth H. Sandhage |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Adam S. Caldwell |
| Abstract Scope |
Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants utilize focused sunlight to heat a high-temperature fluid (such as a molten salt). Heat from this fluid is transferred to a working fluid (such as supercritical CO2) that is then used to drive a turbine to generate electricity. The heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency can be significantly enhanced by increasing the temperature of the working fluid entering the turbine. The resulting reduction in the dispatchable electricity cost (coupled with thermal energy storage, TES) would be an important step towards competition with fossil-fuel-based power plants and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Molten MgCl2-KCl-bearing salts are being considered as cost-effective high-temperature (≥750oC) fluids. However, these salts are prone to oxygenation/oxidation at ≥750oC which alters fluid properties and enhances the corrosion of containment materials. In this talk, we will introduce alternative air-stable, low-cost, molten salts as attractive high-temperature fluids, and describe an associated containment strategy for corrosion-resistant TES tanks and pipes. |