Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
07:18
Experimental System of Solar Adsorption Refrigeration with Concentrated Collector
Published on: October 18, 2017
14.5K
Recent Advances in Molten Salt-Based Nanofluids as Thermal Energy Storage in Concentrated Solar Power: A
Fahim Mahtab Abir1, Qutaiba Altwarah1, Md Tasnim Rana2
1School of Engineering and Technology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 24, 2024
Summary
This study reviews nanoparticles in molten salts (MSs) for thermal energy storage (TES) in concentrated solar power (CSP). It identifies optimal salt-nanoparticle combinations to enhance specific heat capacity (SHC) for efficient energy storage.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Molten salts (MSs) are crucial for thermal energy storage (TES) in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems.
- Enhancing the specific heat capacity (SHC) of MSs is key to improving TES efficiency.
- Nanoparticles offer potential to significantly boost the thermophysical properties of MSs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review the impact of nanoparticles on molten salts for TES in CSP.
- To identify optimal molten salt-nanoparticle combinations for enhanced SHC.
- To investigate the mechanisms behind SHC enhancement in MS nanofluids.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive analysis of molten salt nanofluids (MSNs).
- Identification and evaluation of various salt-nanoparticle combinations.
- Review of synthesis methods and experimental characterization techniques (SHC, thermal conductivity, dispersion).
Main Results:
- Nanoparticles can significantly increase the specific heat capacity (SHC) of molten salts.
- Optimal combinations of specific salts and nanoparticles were identified for efficient SHC enhancement.
- Underlying mechanisms for SHC increase in MS nanofluids were investigated.
Conclusions:
- Molten salt nanofluids show great promise for advanced thermal energy storage in CSP.
- Further research is needed to overcome characterization challenges and optimize nanoparticle dispersion.
- Advancements in MSN technology are crucial for next-generation CSP systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Thermodynamic Potentials
1.7K
Thermodynamic potentials are state functions that are extremely useful in analyzing a thermodynamic system. They have dimensions of energy. The four important thermodynamic potentials are internal energy, enthalpy, Helmholtz free energy, and Gibbs free energy. These thermodynamic potentials can be expressed using two of the following variables: pressure, volume, temperature, and entropy. These two variables are expressed as the rate of change of the thermodynamic potential with respect to other...
1.7K
01:22Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics
183
Spontaneous processes, like a rock falling to the ground or sodium reacting with chlorine, occur without external work and often involve a decrease in the system‘s energy. However, certain endothermic processes, such as the dissolution of sodium chloride in water, occur spontaneously even though they increase the energy of the system. This limitation suggests that the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the total energy of a system is constant in an isolated system, cannot...
183