Standards Development

Scope

This standard specifies technical requirements, test methods, inspection rules, package, transportation and storage requirements for molten salts used as heat transfer and storage of solar thermal electric plants.

This standard is applicable to the processing, inspection, operation and maintenance of molten salt as the medium for heat storage and heat transfer in solar thermal electric plants. Other systems using molten salt as the medium for heat storage and heat transfer can refer to the present standard.

Purpose

Currently, there is no international standard indicating that the heat storage / heat transfer medium of solar thermal electric plants is molten salt. The proposed international standard will define the technical requirements and test conditions for the solar thermal electric plants where the heat storage / heat transfer medium is molten salt. It will help accelerate the development and market implementation of solar thermal electric plants with molten salt as the heat storage / heat transfer medium, and provide guidance to suppliers, project operators, design institutions and other stakeholders.

Molten salt storage is one of the key techniques for solar thermal electric plants. Therefore, molten salt has always been the focus of attention as a heat storage and heat transfer medium. Specifically, this standard will clarify the technical requirements for molten salt products:

a) The requirements for key performance parameters of molten salt products (such as decomposition temperature, melting point, specific heat capacity, viscosity, density, thermal conductivity) are put forward to ensure the operational stability of the solar thermal electric plant.

b) The corrosive requirements for molten salt are put forward to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the thermal system.

c) The control requirements for molten salt operating temperature are put forward, which is convenient for operation and maintenance personnel to control and adjust operation parameters.

Besides, this standard will provide the inspection basis for the following parties:

a) In the design process of solar thermal electric plants, it is convenient for the design organization to choose molten salt products. 

b) In the purchasing process, it is convenient for both the supplier and the purchaser to confirm the technical requirements for molten salt products.