New energy storage heat transfer oil

Can synthetic oils be used for thermal energy storage?

Traditionally, CSP plants have used synthetic oils as heat transfer fluids and molten salts for thermal energy storage. At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), we are improving these materials as well as developing and characterizing advanced nanofluids and phase-change materials (PCMs) for thermal storage applications.

What are thermal storage and advanced heat transfer fluids?

Thermal Storage and Advanced Heat Transfer Fluids We evaluate the properties of fluids that transfer and store heat in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants to improve the thermal-to-electricity efficiency and lower the operational cost of the plants.

What is the oil associated with heat storage?

The oil associated with heat storage is the residual oil in the crushed rock pile that does not drain to the catch pans including a surface layer on the rock and oil held by surface tension where rocks touch each other. This oil inventory is expected to be much less than 1 % of the rock volume and dependent upon crushed rock choices and diameters.

What is thermal energy storage?

Thermal energy storages are applied to decouple the temporal offset between heat generation and demand. For increasing the share of fluctuating renewable energy sources, thermal energy storages are undeniably important. Typical applications are heat and cold supply for buildings or in industries as well as in thermal power plants.

Do concentrating solar power plants use heat transfer fluids?

We evaluate the properties of fluids that transfer and store heat in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants to improve the thermal-to-electricity efficiency and lower the operational cost of the plants. Traditionally, CSP plants have used synthetic oils as heat transfer fluids and molten salts for thermal energy storage.

What is thermochemical heat storage?

Thermochemical heat storage is a technology under development with potentially high-energy densities. The binding energy of a working pair, for example, a hydrating salt and water, is used for thermal energy storage in different variants (liquid/solid, open/closed) with strong technological links to adsorption and absorption chillers.