Liquid metal technology for concentrated solar power systems: Contributions by the German research program

Wetzel, Thomas; Pacio, J.; Marocco, Luca; Weisenburger, A.; Heinzel, A.; Hering, W.; Schroer, Carsten; Müller, Georg; Konys, J.; Stieglitz, Robert; Fuchs, Joachim; Knebel, J.U.; Fazio, Claudio; Daubner, M.; Fellmoser, F.

doi:10.3934/energy.2014.1.89

Cited by 27 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Liquid metals are of increasing interest for application as heat transfer fluid in receiver systems of central solar power stations, in fast reactors (LMFR), transmutation systems, and as target in modern neutron or particle sources . Sn is used in float glass processes and also as a replacement of Pb in wave soldering processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corrosion behavior of austenitic steel AISI 316L in liquid tin in the temperature range between 280 and 700 °C

Heinzel

Weisenburger

Müller

2017

Materials & Corrosion

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Corrosion behavior of austenitic steel AISI 316L was tested in liquid tin at temperatures between 280 and 700 °C under a reducing atmosphere during different exposure times. Liquid metal attack was observed at all temperatures. Ni and Cr were dissolved and Sn reacted at the surface forming stannides with Fe. Up to 450 °C their chemical composition was FeSn2, above this temperature at the border to the steel it changed to FeSn. But, FeSn2 was still detectable up to 595 °C. At 700 °C only stannides with a chemical composition of FeSn were found. The specimens with an exposure time of more than 72 hr were totally dissolved above 676 °C. Tests at 450 °C with different exposure times revealed that the corrosion rate is almost independent on time in the tested region up to 218 hr and increases with temperature. For longer exposure times the corrosion rate (μm/hr) can be described with: y = 5.7E−7(T‐232)2.76. Pre‐oxidation prolongs the incubation time until dissolution starts, but did not prevent dissolution finally.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corrosion behavior of austenitic steel AISI 316L in liquid tin in the temperature range between 280 and 700 °C

Heinzel

Weisenburger

Müller

2017

Materials & Corrosion

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“…For such systems, sodium is one candidate for the intermediate loop between reactor and power cycle. • Concentrated Solar Power Systems [Wetzel 2014]. Most existing concentrated solar power systems use nitrate salts, hot oil, or water and nitrate salts, hot oil or steam accumulators for heat storage.…”

Section: Sodium System Heat Storage Optionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat Storage Options for Sodium, Salt and Helium Cooled Reactors to Enable Variable Electricity to the Grid and Heat to Industry with Base-Load Reactor Operations

Forsberg

Sabharwall

2018

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Electricity markets are changing rapidly because of (1) the addition of wind and solar and (2) the goal of a low-carbon electricity grid. These changes result in times of high electricity prices and very low or negative electricity prices. California has seen its first month where more than 20% of the time (mid-day) the wholesale price of electricity was zero or negative. This creates large incentives for coupling heat storage to advanced reactors to enable variable electricity and industrial-heat output (maximize revenue) while the reactor operates at base load (minimize cost).Recent studies have examined coupling various types of heat storage to Rankine and Brayton power cycles. However, there has been little examination of heat-storage options between (1) the reactor and (2) the power-conversion system or industrial customer. Heat-storage systems can be incorporated into sodium, helium-, and salt-cooled reactors. Salt-cooled reactors include the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) with its solid fuel and clean coolant and the molten salt reactor (MSR) with its fuel dissolved in the salt. For sodium and salt reactors, it is assumed that a heat-storage system would be in the secondary loop between the reactor and power cycle. For helium-cooled reactors, heat storage can be in the primary or secondary loop.This report is a first look at the rational and the heat storage options for deploying gigawatt-watt hour heat-storage systems with GenIV reactors. Economics and safety are the primary selection criteria. The leading heat-storage candidate for sodium-cooled systems (a low-pressure secondary system with small temperature drop across the reactor core) is steel in large tanks with the sodium flowing through channels to move heat in and out of storage. The design minimizes sodium volume in the storage and, thus, the risks and costs associated with sodium. For helium systems (high-pressure with large temperature drop across the core), the leading heat storage options are (1) varying the temperature of the reactor core, (2) steel or alumina firebrick in a secondary pressure vessel and (3) nitrate or hot-rock/firebrick at atmospheric pressure. For salt systems (low pressure, high temperatures, and small temperature drop across the reactor core) the leading heat-storage systems are secondary salts. In each case, options are identified and questions to be addressed are identified.In some cases there is a strong coupling between the heat-storage technology and the power cycle. The leading sodium heat-storage technology may imply changes in the power cycle. High-temperature salt systems couple efficiency to Brayton power cycles that may create large incentives for the heat storage to remain within the power cycle rather than in any intermediate heat transfer loop.iv v CANES PUBLICATIONSTopical and progress reports are published under seven series:

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“…1 (Hasuike et al, 2006;Lata et al, 2008;Xu and Wiesner, 2012), glasses (Deubener et al, 2009) and metals (Sharafat and Ghoniem, 2000;Subasic, 1998) are among the only classes of fluids that remain in the liquid phase at temperatures of approximately 1,000°C or above. Among these choices, liquid metals have a number of advantages that could prove useful for the application of thermochemical reactors as follows (Wetzel et al, 2014): (1) metals such as Sn have low melting points (232°C), high boiling points (2602°C) and low viscosities, similar to water at temperatures slightly above their melting point. This is an advantage over molten glasses, which can become highly viscous and difficult to pump at lower temperatures;…”

Section: A While Keeping Recmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new solar fuels reactor concept based on a liquid metal heat transfer fluid: Reactor design and efficiency estimation

et al. 2015

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Liquid metal technology for concentrated solar power systems: Contributions by the German research program

Cited by 27 publications

References 12 publications

Corrosion behavior of austenitic steel AISI 316L in liquid tin in the temperature range between 280 and 700 °C

Corrosion behavior of austenitic steel AISI 316L in liquid tin in the temperature range between 280 and 700 °C

Heat Storage Options for Sodium, Salt and Helium Cooled Reactors to Enable Variable Electricity to the Grid and Heat to Industry with Base-Load Reactor Operations

A new solar fuels reactor concept based on a liquid metal heat transfer fluid: Reactor design and efficiency estimation

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