Low-melting point heat transfer fluid
| DWPI Title: Heat transfer fluid useful for heat collection and transfer, and as thermal energy storage media in solar energy systems comprises mixture of lithium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite and/or potassium nitrite salts |
| Abstract: A low-melting point, heat transfer fluid comprising a mixture of LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, NaNO2 and KNO2 salts where the Li, Na and K cations are present in amounts of about 20-33.5 mol % Li, about 18.6-40 mol % Na, and about 40-50.3 mol % K and where the nitrate and nitrite anions are present in amounts of about 36-50 mol % NO3, and about 50-62.5 mol % NO2. These compositions can have liquidus temperatures between 70° C. and 80° C. for some compositions. |
| Use: The heat transfer fluid is useful: for heat collection and transfer; and as thermal energy storage media in solar energy systems. |
| Advantage: The heat transfer fluid (HTF): exhibits low solidification point, stability in contact with air, low viscosity, low cost, non-corrosive to typical container materials, low vapor pressure, high heat capacity, lower freezing point, and stability at high temperature, which thus increases power cycle efficiency and overall power plant sun-to-net electric efficiency compared to the synthetic oils used as HTF; reduces the expensive parasitic energy costs necessary for freeze protection; and enhances the value of energy delivered from parabolic trough solar energy plants, thus reduces the cost of operating and maintaining the solar system. |
| Novelty: Heat transfer fluid having a liquidus temperature of 70, 75, 80, 85, 95 or 105° C, comprises a mixture of lithium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite and/or potassium nitrite salts, where the alkali cations comprises lithium (15, 20, 29.2-30.4, 29.1-33.5, 29.8 or 33.5 mol%), sodium (18.6, 18.6-22.6, 19.9, 19.8-23.1, 40 or 42.2 mol%) and potassium (40, 42.6, 47.9, 47.7-49.8, 47.9-50.3 or 50.3 mol%) and the nitrate and nitrite anions comprises nitrate (35.9, 37.5, 35.9-41.2, 44.1-45.4, 50 or 33-50 mol%) and nitrite (62.5, 64.1, 58.8-64.1, 54.6-55.9, 50 or 50-67 mol%). |
| Filed: 8/4/2010 |
| Application Number: US2010850032A |
| Tech ID: SD 11066.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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