Salt-Melt Pipeline Internal Heating for Uniform Freeze Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molten salts used in solar power plants, such as sodium/potassium nitrate mixtures, have high melting points, leading to freezing issues in pipelines, causing damage due to volume expansion and contraction, and require significant energy for heating to prevent freezing, which is inefficient and can result in uneven heating.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline design with a heating conductor guided inside, not resting on the inner wall, allows for even melting of solidified salt, forming a channel for melted salt to flow and equalizing pressure, reducing the risk of damage and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heating conductor is placed inside the pipeline to melt solidified salt, then the melting process becomes more efficient and uniform, but the heating conductor may come into contact with the inner wall causing uneven heating and local overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces resilient spacers as intermediary elements between the heating conductor and the pipeline inner wall. These spacers maintain a controlled gap that prevents direct contact while ensuring uniform heat distribution, acting as a mediator that resolves the contradiction between achieving uniform melting and preventing local overheating
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical state and positioning parameters of the heating conductor by using resilient spacers to maintain an optimal distance from the pipeline wall. This parameter change ensures the heating conductor operates in a controlled position that achieves uniform heating without causing local overheating
2Reliability
If electrical heating is applied to the pipeline system, then the molten salt can be kept from freezing, but considerable amounts of electrical energy must be applied which is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heating conductor is designed to be self-regulating through the resilient spacers that maintain optimal positioning. The system automatically adjusts heat distribution based on the actual gap between the conductor and pipeline wall, eliminating the need for external control systems and reducing energy waste while maintaining reliable freeze prevention
3Ease of manufacture
If the heating conductor rests on the inner wall of the pipeline, then it is easier to install and position, but contact resistance varies causing uneven heating and thermal losses
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient spacers serve as intermediaries that simplify installation by providing automatic positioning while simultaneously preventing the harmful effect of variable contact resistance. The spacers' elasticity allows for easy installation while maintaining consistent spacing that ensures heating uniformity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents pipeline damage from volume expansion and reduces energy requirements by ensuring uniform melting and pressure equalization, allowing for safe and efficient operation of solar power plants during standstills and startup.
Implementation Method 1
a heating conductor 21 for heating being guided inside the pipeline, the heating conductor not resting on the inner wall of the pipeline
Implementation Method 2
The cause of the damage is, for example, the strong volume expansion of molten salt during melting
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a pipeline for conveying a salt melt, comprising a pipe wall that is stable with respect to occurring temperatures. Inside the pipeline (5), a heating conductor (21) for heating is guided, wherein the heating conductor (21) preferably does not contact the inner wall of the pipeline (5).