Molten Salts Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Concentrated Solar Power stations can get energy from the sun during daytime only, but the energy requirements from the grid have different timing and the turbines in the power island cannot be operated on a continuous stop and go basis.

The solution to that is to store the thermal energy from the sun in the form of a mixture of molten nitrates, to be held in huge tanks at almost 400 °C (and, in some cases, at more than 500°C), and then use it during night. While the idea seems simple, putting it into practice is not that easy.

The scale of the system is far bigger than what has been experienced up to now. Storage capacity is expressed in terms of tens of thousands metric tons of molten salts, absolute reliability is paramount, the size of all the equipment and machineries is so big that only a few producers and fabricators can match it.

On the other hand, a faulty thermal energy storage systems may jeopardize an entire solar power project. In other words, this is the job for a full fledged and experienced Process Engineering and Contracting Company.

Eurotecnica has designed the molten salts thermal energy storage system of ANDASOL III in Spain.The complex has been started up and runs successfully.