10 September 2014
Details
NOVATEC SOLAR and BASF
have successfully commissioned
a solar thermal demonstration plant
based on a new type of molten salt technology,
known as direct molten salt or DMS technology.
The plant is located on the site of
the solar-thermal power plant PE1
in southern Spain.
The innovative feature of the new plant design is
that the solar collector uses inorganic molten salt
as heat transfer fluid.
Most solar thermal power plants currently
use heat transfer oils,
which have a limited qualification temperature.
Using inorganic salts as heat transfer fluid
allows operating temperatures above 500°C,
resulting in a significant increase in power yield.
The thermal energy can
* either be directly converted into electrical power
* or be stored in large molten salt tanks during periods of
low demand.
This stored energy can be kept in reserve for times
when production is low, for example when the sky is overcast.
Solar thermal power plants with storage systems
can supply electricity as and when required,
which helps to ensure grid stability.
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
