Enabling chloride salts for thermal energy storage: implications of salt purity

Kurley, J. Matthew; Halstenberg, Phillip W.; McAlister, Abbey; Raiman, Stephen; Dai, Sheng; Mayes, Richard T.

doi:10.1039/C9RA03133B

Title: Enabling chloride salts for thermal energy storage: implications of salt purity

Journal Article · Thu Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · RSC Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C9RA03133B· OSTI ID:1557370

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Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, USA
Materials Science & Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, USA
Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, USA, Department of Chemistry

Molten salts for use as heat transfer fluids in concentrated solar or nuclear power plants have experienced a resurgence over the past decade with a special focus on chloride-based salt mixtures, particularly for use in concentrating solar power and fast-spectrum nuclear reactors. Salt purification, specifically oxide removal, is required even for high purity commercial salts and can be achieved using many different methods. Carbochlorination, however, proves most effective according to thermodynamics and produces a gaseous byproduct easily removed from the salt. A variety of carbochlorinating reagents and reagent combinations were evaluated for thermodynamic favorability in the removal of common impurities in MgCl₂-based feedstock or coverage gases used in industrial systems. Carbon tetrachloride exhibited superior purification thermodynamics above the melting point of common MgCl₂-based salt compositions. Salt with composition of 68 : 32 mol% KCl : MgCl₂ was purified on the kilogram scale by sparging with carbon tetrachloride, reducing dissolved oxide to trace levels (42 mmol MgO/kg salt). Interestingly, the lower purity salts exhibited magnesium and oxygen presence along grain boundaries in the corrosion layers while the purified salts did not, highlighting the need for decreased oxide content. The lessened corrosivity of the highly purified salt suggests a proper salt treatment may reduce dependence on specialized materials for use with molten salts.

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Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Molten Salts in Extreme Environments (MSEE); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1557370

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1558546

Journal Information:: RSC Advances, Journal Name: RSC Advances Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 44; ISSN 2046-2069

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Cited by: 47 works

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