Research and Application of Heat Transfer Fluids in Solar Thermal Power

Abstract

mproving the thermophysical properties of heat transfer fluid is always a research hotspot and difficult subject in the application of solar energy for medium and high temperature. The research and application of these heat transfer fluid, including steam, heat transfer oil, molten salt, air, liquid alloy and nanofluids, were summarized in this paper. After comparing their characteristics, it is found that molten salt, air and liquid alloy have greater application and development prospects. Future research directions include extending the temperature span of operating condition, enhancing the efficiency of heat transfer and storage, lengthening service life and finding out the correlation between microstructure and related performance.

Nanofluid Types, Their Synthesis, Properties and Incorporation in Direct Solar Thermal Collectors: A Review

“…Recent studies have confirmed suspending small particles in a fluid can improve its heat transfer performance [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ]. In particular, the addition of small micrometer-scale particles (solid phase) to a working fluid (fluid phase) can improve its thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient [ 46 , 47 ]. Unfortunately, two-phase fluids containing micrometer-scale particles have a number of operational problems.…”

The Addition of Graphene Oxide to Enhance the Photo-Thermal Performance of a Premier Organic Heat Transfer Oil

“…The inclusion of low concentrations of well dispersed particles in traditional working fluids can significantly enhance their thermo-physical properties [6,7]. However, the inclusion of large particles in working fluids has resulted in sedimentation, increased flow resistance, accumulation and blockage of small flow channels that result in higher system pressure drops [8,9]. Because of these shortcomings, particle addition has failed to gain widespread acceptance.…”