Technical and economic evaluation of heat transfer fluids for a TES system integrated to an advanced nuclear reactor

Abstract

The utilization of thermal energy storage technology has emerged as a potential enhancement for nuclear power plants. Although nuclear energy systems possess the ability to adjust their energy output, prolonged variations in production can impact the plant's overall efficiency and economic viability. However, the nuclear industry can capitalize on thermal energy storage to bolster the power plant's economics by leveraging ancillary services and market hedging strategies. This research aims to advance the development of thermal energy storage for advanced nuclear reactors by assessing the thermophysical properties of various heat transfer fluids, including FLiNaK, KCl-MgCl2, LiCl-KCl, (LiNaK)2CO3, NaF-ZrF4, and KF-ZrF4, at temperatures ranging from 500 to 900 °C. The assessment is conducted based on thermophysical correlations established in previous studies and employs figures of merit as a metric to evaluate the heat transfer performance of different salt candidates. Additionally, a cost analysis is conducted to provide an idea of the potential cost associated with each salt candidate.