Development of new molten salts with LiNO3 and Ca(NO3)2 for energy storage in CSP plants

Fernández, Ángel G.; Ushak, Svetlana; Galleguillos, Héctor R.; Pérez, F.J.

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.12.061

Cited by 157 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…In recent years, a number of thermal storage technologies for medium to high temperature CSP systems have been developed from the use of materials in which energy is stored as sensible heat [1][2][3]. Diverse materials with high heat capacity are employed in thermal energy storage (TES) systems such as water [4], molten salts [5][6][7], mineral oils [8] or ceramic materials [9]. Commercial plants of considerable size (>100 MWt) do already exist where heat is stored in molten salts and used overnight to generate electricity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermochemical energy storage of concentrated solar power by integration of the calcium looping process and a CO2 power cycle

et al. 2016

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Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSP-CaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO 2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermochemical energy storage of concentrated solar power by integration of the calcium looping process and a CO2 power cycle

et al. 2016

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“…For example, low temperature TES PCMs containing lithium have been identified as useful for building applications as described in [17]. In the case of high temperature TES, lithium compounds have been identified as promising candidates to be added to KNO 3 /NaNO 3 mixtures helping to lower the solidification temperature of solar salt [17][18][19][20]25]. As a result, the working temperature range and the thermal stability of the system can be extended.…”

Section: Improving Tes: the Case For Lithium-based Nitratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further research is also required regarding corrosion, but according to [19], the addition of calcium or lithium nitrate to solar salt is not expected to worsen the corrosiveness of the mixture. Also, regarding the corrosion studies of steel in presence of molten nitrates performed by [25,26], some steels have excellent performance, and others do not. Corrosion products alter the composition of molten salts and consequently affect the physiochemical properties including the storage capacity [27].…”

Section: Improving Tes: the Case For Lithium-based Nitratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems

et al. 2017

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Thermal energy storage systems (TES) are a key component of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants that generally use a NaNO 3 /KNO 3 mixture also known as solar salt as a thermal storage material. Improvements in TES materials are important to lower CSP costs, increase energy efficiency and competitiveness with other technologies. A novel alternative examined in this paper is the use of salt mixtures with lithium nitrate that help to reduce the salt's melting point and improve thermal capacity. This in turn allows the volume of materials required to be reduced. Based on data for commercial plants and the expected evolution of the lithium market, the technical and economic prospects for this alternative are evaluated considering recent developments of Lithium Nitrates and the uncertain future prices of lithium. Through a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) analysis it is concluded that some of the mixtures could allow a reduction in the costs of CSP plants, improving their competitiveness.

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“…Lithium compounds have also proven useful to lowering the melting point of the salts by adding it to KNO 3 /NaNO 3 mixtures in HTTES systems [22][23][24][25][26]. A lower melting point in ternary salts with lithium can significantly reduce operational and maintenance costs of CSP plants, allowing important economic savings [22].…”

Section: New Potential Httes Material: Lithium Based Saltsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams

et al. 2016

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Abstract:The improvement of solar thermal technologies in emerging economies like Chile is particularly attractive because the country is endowed with one of the most consistently high solar potentials, lithium and copper reserves. In recent years, growing interests for lithium based salts and copper foams in application of thermal technologies could change the landscape of Chile transforming its lithium reserves and copper availability into competitive energy produced in the region. This study reviews the technical advantages of using lithium based salts-applied as heat storage media and heat transfer fluid-and copper foam/Phase Change Materials (PCM) alternatives-applied as heat storage media-within tower and parabolic trough Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, and presents a first systematic evaluation of the costs of these alternatives based on real plant data. The methodology applied is based on material data base compilation of price and technical properties, selection of CSP plant and estimation of amount of required material, and analysis of Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). Results confirm that some lithium based salts are effective in reducing the amount of required material and costs for the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems for both plant cases, with savings of up to 68% and 4.14% in tons of salts and LCOE, respectively. Copper foam/PCM composites significantly increase thermal conductivity, decreasing the volume of the TES system, but costs of implementation are still higher than traditional options.

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Development of new molten salts with LiNO3 and Ca(NO3)2 for energy storage in CSP plants

Cited by 157 publications

References 18 publications

Thermochemical energy storage of concentrated solar power by integration of the calcium looping process and a CO2 power cycle

Thermochemical energy storage of concentrated solar power by integration of the calcium looping process and a CO2 power cycle

Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems

Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams

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