Critical diameter for a single-tank molten salt storage – Parametric study on structural tank design

Molten salt thermal energy storage (TES) is a cost-effective option for grid-connected storage in both concentrating solar power (CSP) plants and retrofitted thermal power plants in a multimegawatt scale. Current systems use two tanks (hot and cold), but future systems may use a single tank with a transient temperature profile (hot in the top and cold in the bottom) to reduce costs and space. However, the structural and mechanical design of large-scale molten salt single-tank storages at 560 °C has not been fully explored, and the impact of increasing the operating temperature to 620 °C is still uncertain. The challenge presented by a single tank is the existence of a temperature profile that results in a varying thermal expansion of the tank shell along its height. In the case of larger tanks, this discrepancy can reach a magnitude of centimeters, which in turn gives rise to bending moments. To the best of our knowledge, this study addresses the issue of bending stresses in large-sized high-temperature tanks with thermal stratification for the first time. The modelling approach is applied to single-tank CSP TES systems as a case study to evaluate the constraints imposed by tank size and wall thickness. With the help of experimentally validated numerical methods, it is revealed that a low thermocline thickness can be a limiting factor for large tank diameters. It is shown that the temperature has a major influence on maximum possible tank size: if the operating temperature is raised from 560 °C to 620 °C, the permitted tank diameter is significantly reduced when using the same tank wall material. A possible approach is to use a more heat resistant steel for 620 °C. Results of the parametric study show that designing a single tank below a critical diameter only requires a moderate increase of the wall thickness compared to the two-tank system with constant temperature profiles. Based on this parametric study a formula for the critical tank diameter is developed and presented in this work. The paper concludes with recommendations on how increased wall stresses can be addressed by an appropriate design. • Evaluation of thermally induced wall bending stresses in single-tank storage • A technical limit for the tank diameter was identified. • Critical tank diameters are proportional to thermocline thickness. • 1 % to 40 % wall thickness increase required depending on thermocline and diameter. • An easy to use analytical formula for the critical tank diameter was derived.