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Journal of Thermal Science

热科学学报

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2025 , Vol. 34 >Issue 4: 1162 - 1176

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-025-2172-8

Collaborative Improvement on Thermo-Physical Properties of Ternary Carbonate Nanocomposites for Thermal Energy Storage in Concentrating Solar Power Systems

  • MAO Shuai ,
  • AN Zhoujian ,
  • DU Xiaoze ,
  • WANG Sen ,
  • LI Lu ,
  • MOMBEKI PEA Hamirjohan ,
  • ZHANG Dong
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  • 1. College of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China 
    2. Lanzhou LS heat exchanger equipment Co., Ltd., Lanzhou 730314, China

网络出版日期: 2025-07-04

基金资助

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52206087; 52130607), the Key R&D Program of Gansu Province (23YFGA0066; 23YFGA0035), the Industrial Support Plan Project of Gansu Provincial Education Department (2022CYZC-21; 2021CYZC-27), the Collaborative Science Foundation of Gansu Province (23JRRA1563), the Doctoral Research Funds of Lanzhou University of Technology (061907), and the Red Willow Excellent Youth Project of Lanzhou University of Technology.

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Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
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Collaborative Improvement on Thermo-Physical Properties of Ternary Carbonate Nanocomposites for Thermal Energy Storage in Concentrating Solar Power Systems

  • MAO Shuai ,
  • AN Zhoujian ,
  • DU Xiaoze ,
  • WANG Sen ,
  • LI Lu ,
  • MOMBEKI PEA Hamirjohan ,
  • ZHANG Dong
Expand
  • 1. College of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China 
    2. Lanzhou LS heat exchanger equipment Co., Ltd., Lanzhou 730314, China

Online published: 2025-07-04

Supported by

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52206087; 52130607), the Key R&D Program of Gansu Province (23YFGA0066; 23YFGA0035), the Industrial Support Plan Project of Gansu Provincial Education Department (2022CYZC-21; 2021CYZC-27), the Collaborative Science Foundation of Gansu Province (23JRRA1563), the Doctoral Research Funds of Lanzhou University of Technology (061907), and the Red Willow Excellent Youth Project of Lanzhou University of Technology.

Copyright

Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
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摘要

储热技术是聚光太阳能热发电(CSP)系统的关键核心技术，不仅能提供持续稳定的高品质电能，还可提升发电系统效率并延长系统寿命。熔盐作为光热发电中储热与传热的重要材料，纳米颗粒的添加能够协同有效地提升其比热容与导热系数双重性能。本研究采用31.5wt%Na2CO3-31.5wt%Li2CO3-37wt%K2CO3作为基盐，通过两步水溶法将不同粒径的SiO2纳米颗粒、不同浓度的SiO2和Al2O3以及复合纳米颗粒分散于盐溶液中，制备出三元碳酸盐纳米流体。采用差示扫描量热仪、X射线衍射仪和扫描电子显微镜分别测试了纳米流体的熔点、比热容、晶体结构和表面微观形貌。结果表明：在所选纳米颗粒中，SiO2纳米颗粒对三元碳酸盐比热容与导热系数的增强效果最为显著。添加1.0 wt.%的30 nm SiO2使固相比热容提升83.5%，液相比热容提升159.4%，导热系数提高20.8%。扫描电镜观察发现，纳米颗粒的加入使三元碳酸盐形成棒状纳米结构，XRD结果证实碳酸盐与纳米颗粒未发生化学反应。该复合材料在600°C恒温100小时及室温至600°C的100次大温差循环后，热物性仍保持相对稳定，展现出良好的长期热稳定性和冷热循环稳定性。

关键词： two-step solution method; nanocomposite; specific heat capacity; thermal conductivity

本文引用格式

MAO Shuai , AN Zhoujian , DU Xiaoze , WANG Sen , LI Lu , MOMBEKI PEA Hamirjohan , ZHANG Dong . Collaborative Improvement on Thermo-Physical Properties of Ternary Carbonate Nanocomposites for Thermal Energy Storage in Concentrating Solar Power Systems[J]. 热科学学报, 2025 , 34(4) : 1162 -1176 . DOI: 10.1007/s11630-025-2172-8

Abstract

Thermal storage is a key technology in concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) system, which can provide continuous and stable high quality electricity, improve the efficiency of the power system and extend the system life. Molten salt is an important material for heat storage and heat transfer in solar thermal power generation, the addition of nanoparticles can synergistically and effectively enhance both specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. In this study, a base salt with mass percentage of 31.5% Na2CO3-31.5% Li2CO3-37% K2CO3 was employed. SiO2 nanoparticles with varying particle sizes, different concentrations of SiO2 and Al2O3, as well as composite nanoparticles, were dispersed in a salt solution to create ternary carbonate nanofluids using a two-step solution method. The melting point, specific heat capacity, crystal structure, and surface microstructure of nanofluids were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscope, respectively. The results show that among the selected nanoparticles, SiO2 nanoparticles are the most effective at enhancing the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the ternary carbonates. The mass addition of 1.0% of 30 nm SiO2 results in 83.5% increase in specific heat capacity in the solid phase and 159.4% increase in the liquid phase compared to pure ternary carbonates, and the thermal conductivity increases by 20.8%. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy has revealed the formation of rod-like nanostructures after adding nanoparticles to ternary carbonates. XRD results confirm that there are no chemical reactions between ternary carbonates and the added nanoparticles. After exposure to a constant high temperature of 600°C for 100 h and undergoing 100 cycles of large temperature differences (ranging from room temperature to 600°C), the thermophysical properties of this composite material remain relatively stable, demonstrating good long-term and heating-cooling cycle thermal stability.

Key words： two-step solution method; nanocomposite; specific heat capacity; thermal conductivity

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