Molten salt heat exchange system

Shell and tube molten salt heat exchanger is a device used for heat exchange between high-temperature molten salt and other media. Its structure includes tube bundle, shell and head, and it is resistant to high temperature and corrosion. It has high heat transfer efficiency and can operate stably under the condition of 200°C to 700°C. It is widely used in solar thermal power generation, chemical industry, energy storage and metallurgical industry. The modular design of the equipment is easy to maintain and is suitable for industrial needs of processing high-temperature thermal energy.

The following is a detailed introduction to some details of this equipment:

1. Structural Analysis

The equipment adopts a typical shell and tube structure, with the following specific features:

1.1.Shell

The outside is a large cylindrical shell with a large flow space for accommodating the shell-side medium (usually molten salt or heating/cooling medium).

The surface may have an insulation layer (bare metal when not coated) to reduce heat loss.

1.2.Tube Bundle

A large number of U-shaped heat exchange tubes are arranged inside to provide a large heat exchange area, and molten salt usually flows through the tube side.

The heat exchange tube material is high-temperature resistant stainless steel (such as 304 or 316L) or nickel-based alloy, which can resist the corrosion of molten salt.

1.3.Head

The two ends are designed with heads to separate and guide the in and out of the tube side fluid.

The flange connection on the head facilitates the installation, disassembly and maintenance of the pipeline.

1.4.Support structure

The bottom of the heat exchanger is equipped with a welded support to fix the equipment and ensure the stability of the equipment during operation.

1.5.Interface pipeline

The figure shows multiple pipeline interfaces for the in and out of molten salt and working fluids (such as water or heat transfer oil). Temperature and pressure monitoring instruments and valves are usually standard.

2. Technical parameters (reference industrial standards)

No.	Parameter		Typical value range
1	Temperature range	Molten salt operating temperature	200°C to 600°C, (special designs over 700°C)
		Temperature of shell-side or tube-side cooling medium	Adjust according to demand
2	Pressure range	Shell-side pressure	0.6~2.5 MPa
		Tube-side pressure	1.0~3.0 MPa
3	Material	Heat exchange tube material	304/316L)or high-nickel alloy
		Shell material	carbon steel or stainless steel
4	Flow rate design	Molten salt tube-side flow rate	2~5 m/s
		Shell-side flow rate	adjusted according to process requirements

3. Application scenarios

This type of heat exchanger is widely used for the storage and heat transfer of high-temperature molten salt media. The following are typical application areas:

3.1.Photothermal power generation

In tower and trough photothermal power generation systems, it is used for heat exchange between molten salt heat storage tanks and steam generators.

Provide a stable supply of heat energy to ensure the operation of the power generation system even in the absence of light.

3.2.Chemical industry

Heat exchange during high-temperature reactions, such as high-temperature chlorination, nitration or oxidation reactions.

3.3.Metallurgical industry

Recover and reuse high-temperature molten salt or other waste heat media to improve energy utilization efficiency.

3.4.Energy storage system

As a heat storage and heat release device, it achieves a balance between large-scale thermal energy storage and output.

4. Feature Analysis

4.1.Adapt to high temperature environment

Can withstand working conditions up to 700°C, suitable for extreme high temperature requirements.

4.2.Large heat exchange area

Sufficient heat exchange area is provided through multiple heat exchange tubes to improve heat transfer efficiency.

4.3.Strong corrosion resistance

Use special materials resistant to molten salt corrosion to extend equipment life.

4.4.Modular design

The size can be customized according to different application requirements to adapt to various industrial conditions.

4.5.Convenient maintenance

The flange design is easy to disassemble, and the salt accumulation inside the pipeline is cleaned and repaired regularly.

5. Advantages

5.1.Efficient heat energy utilization

The high specific heat capacity of molten salt and the efficient design of the heat exchanger combine to significantly improve the transfer and storage efficiency of heat energy.

5.2.Stable operation

Can adapt to continuous high-temperature operation and meet the requirements of industrial continuous production.

5.3.Energy saving and environmental protection

Reduce traditional fuel consumption, reduce carbon emissions, and meet the development trend of clean energy.

5.4.Strong economy

Long-life design and high-efficiency operation reduce operation and maintenance costs.

5.5.Process flexibility

Can be widely used in various industrial scenarios to achieve efficient heat exchange between molten salt and various media.

6. Dunhuang, China. 100MW photovoltaic project