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Title: Molten salt power towers operating at 600–650 °C: Salt selection and cost benefits

Journal Article · · Solar Energy
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  2. ManTech International, Washington, DC (United States)
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This analysis examines the potential benefit of adopting the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycle at 600-650 degrees C compared to the current state-of-the-art power tower operating a steam-Rankine cycle with solar salt at approximately 574 degrees C. The analysis compares a molten-salt power tower configuration using direct storage of solar salt (60:40 wt% sodium nitrate: potassium nitrate) or single-component nitrate salts at 600 degrees C or alternative carbonate- or chloride-based salts at 650 degrees C.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; FG36-08GO18149
OSTI ID:
1429606
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1776192
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5500-69070
Journal Information:
Solar Energy, Vol. 164, Issue C; ISSN 0038-092X
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 99 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (10)

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Techno-Economic Comparison of Solar-Driven SCO2 Brayton Cycles Using Component Cost Models Baselined With Vendor Data and Estimates
  • Carlson, Matthew D.; Middleton, Bobby M.; Ho, Clifford K.
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conference August 2017
The first version of the SolarPACES guideline for bankable STE Yield assessment
  • Hirsch, Tobias; Bachelier, Camille; Eck, Markus
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conference January 2017
Copper-alloyed spinel black oxides and tandem-structured solar absorbing layers for high-temperature concentrating solar power systems journal July 2016
Assessment of a novel ternary eutectic chloride salt for next generation high-temperature sensible heat storage journal July 2018
A Comparison of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle Configurations with an Emphasis on CSP Applications journal January 2014
Exergetic analysis of supercritical CO 2 Brayton cycles integrated with solar central receivers journal June 2015
A Review and Evaluation of Specific Heat Capacities of Rocks, Minerals, and Subsurface Fluids. Part 1: Minerals and Nonporous Rocks journal June 2004
Assessment of Candidate Molten Salt Coolants for the NGNP/NHI Heat-Transfer Loop report June 2006

Cited By (5)

Review of supercritical CO 2 power cycles integrated with CSP journal December 2019
Modeling the Total Ternary Phase Diagram of NaNO3–KNO3–NaNO2 Using the Binary Subsystems Data journal November 2019
A Critical Review of Fluoride Salt Heat Transfer journal December 2019
Thermal Conductivity of Molten Carbonates with Dispersed Solid Oxide from Differential Scanning Calorimetry journal May 2019
Viability Assessment of a Concentrated Solar Power Tower With a Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle Power Plant journal April 2019

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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
molten salt
concentrating solar power
supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle