[Objective] In order to address the problems associated with the flexibility retrofitting of thermal power plants and the consumption of low-valley electricity, a novel electrode molten salt heater based on pipeline flow is proposed. This study aims to investigate the temperature characteristics of this new type of heater. 

[Methods] A multi-physics field simulation model of the electric heater was established by utilizing COMSOL software. An experimental system for molten salt electric heating was designed and constructed, and relevant experimental tests were carrie d out under voltage conditions ranging from 300 V to 600 V . After that, based on the COMSOL simulation model, simulation studies regarding temperature distribution and temperature response were conducted under high-voltage conditions ranging from 2 kV to 4 kV . 

[Results] The experimental results indicate that the electric heating system, under the specified operating conditions, is capable of raising the temperature of molten salt within a range of 1.2 ℃ to 25.5 ℃. A comparison between experimental data a nd simulation outcomes reveals a 2 maximum relative error of 8.0%, thereby confirming the accuracy and reliability of the COMSOL Multiphysics model established in this study. An analysis of the temperature field within the heating sections located at both ends of the electrode shows that, along the direction of molten salt flow, the radial temperature difference consistently follows a distinct pattern: it initially increases and then progressively decreases. Under extreme operating conditions, the maximum rad ial temperature difference observed is 9.4 ℃. Notably, the peak temperature of the molten salt, reaching 572.8 ℃, occurs near the wall at the pipeline outlet, indicating a relatively uniform temperature distribution across the radial cross -section. Furthermore, the transient response characteristics of the electric heater were evaluated. The results demonstrate that following a disturbance, the system can elevate the molten salt temperature to between 0.85 and 0.96 of the target temperature rise within a short period of just 15 seconds. This underscores the heater’s fast temperature response capability. An investigation into the factors influencing this response speed revealed that it is independent of the applied voltage magnitude. However, increasing the flow velocity of the molten salt significantly accelerates the transient temperature response, offering a practical pathway for performance optimization. 

[Conclusion] Experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the proposed molten salt electric h eater offers significant advantages, including temperature rise regulation capability, a uniform radial temperature distribution, and a fast response speed. These features collectively provide a theoretical basis and technical support for improving the performance of energy storage systems.