Effect

of Nano Par.cles in Molten Salts

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE

LIMITLESS ENERGY - SOLAR

How to tap it efficiently?

How to store it?

24 hour solar energy?

 POSSIBILITIES
PHOTO VOLTAIC CELLS CONCENTRATED SOLAR

The “Resource Curse” on Third World Requires large land area for deployment
countries
Can be easily upgraded.
Requires addi.onal resources in the form of
ba@eries for energy storage Has very low maintenance requirement

Commercial units have an efficiency as high Can provide reliable power without
as 23% only. fluctua.on

High cost of upgrade. Salt is an environmental friendly mixture, can

be used as high grade fer.liser.
Can be deployed in the form of distributed
system Has the lowest capital energy storage cost

High capital investment and high cost of Can work like a conven.onal fossil fuel plant
maintenance by genera.ng electricity from steam
 SECRET INGREDIENT - MOLTEN SALT
neMS
• Salt is the mixture of Potassium- Sodium nitrate and nanoparticles.

• Nanoparticles are silica and alumina nanoparticles.

• Molten salt acts as both heat transfer and thermal energy storage fluid.

• Molten salt is stored at 565 Celsius.

• Heat loss is only 1F per day.

• Molten salt has a long life span of 30+ years

• Molten salts were previously developed for nuclear reactor.

• The molten salt provides ideal heat capture medium allowing wider
operating temperature range at atmospheric pressure hence, provides
superior and safe energy capture and storage.
DESIGN
 WHAT IS IT?

RECEIVER TUBE

• Made of Nickel alloy

• High absorptivity coating

RECEIVER TOWER

• Typical height is 640 feet

• Not cylindrical, made up of

14 thin panels

STORAGE TANK

• Stores salt at 838K

• Heat loss is only 1F per day

HELIOSTAT

• Track the sun precisely and

concentrate at receiver tube

• Wireless communication
 WORKING

STEPS

1. Incoming sunlight is reflected by HELIOSTAT

to the RECEIVER TOWER.

2. THOUSANDS of HELIOSTATS concentrate

the solar energy on the receiver tube.
 WORKING

STEPS

1. Incoming sunlight is reflected by HELIOSTAT

to the RECEIVER TOWER.

2. THOUSANDS of HELIOSTATS concentrate

the solar energy on the receiver tube.

3. NICKEL alloy of receiver tube absorbs the

heat.

4. The receiver tower then heats the salt to

molten state, at temperature in excess of
560C.

5. Molten salt is then stored in a thermal

storage tank.
 WORKING

STEPS

1. Incoming sunlight is reflected by HELIOSTAT

to the RECEIVER TOWER.

2. THOUSANDS of HELIOSTATS concentrate

the solar energy on the receiver tube.

3. NICKEL alloy of receiver tube absorbs the

heat.

4. The receiver tower then heats the salt to

molten state, at temperature in excess of
560C.

5. Molten salt is then stored in a thermal

storage tank.

6. THERMAL STORAGE TANK has can store

upto 20 hours of molten salt.

7. According to the demand, the molten salt is

used to generate steam and then electricity.

8. Used molten salt is stored in a separate tank

and again converted to molten salt during
dayYme.
 NIGHT - DAY

• Thermal Storage Tank stores upto 20 hours

of molten salt.

• Night time operation is made possible by the

molten salt from storage tank.

• The fluctuations due to weather conditions

and electricity demand can be easily met.

• The molten salt is used as both energy

storage and heat transfer medium.

• Water is used to generate steam and is

condensed back. So, no extra water is
required.

• This is 100% renewable and generates zero

emissions or discharge.
 MOLTEN SALT

• Molten salt gets fully functionalism.

• The key component is Nitrate ions

• The nanoparticles interact with nitrate

ions and enhance the thermal
properties of fluid.

Nano particles

Na/K ions

NO3 ions
 MOLTEN SALT

• An interfacial layer is created by

nanoparticles around the nitrate
ions.

• This layer helps to contain the

heat more efficiently.

• This interfacial layer changes the

electrostatic interactions,
dispersion forces and
solvophobicity of ions.

• Nanoparticles enhance the

functinalization of ions.

• Enhancement depends of
specific area of nanoparticles.

Nano particles
Na/K ions

NO3 ions
 REAL MAGIC
Mixture rule states that when particles of lower specific heat are added to
molten salt then the total specific heat of mix should decrease.

But due to 3 possible mechanisms the specific heat is enhanced.

1. Semi-solid layer
2. High specific heat of nano particles in small size
3. Thermal resistance between nanoparticles and salt particles.

1.7

1.275

0.85

0.425

200 300 400 500

Nano particles enhance specific heat capacity by 30%

THANK YOU