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Study on heat transfer characteristics of molten salt-steam heat exchanger
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Ruishen CHENG1, Changzhe FAN2, Xiaoyu LU1, Wenpei ZHAO1, Yonggang BAI1, Ke ZHOU1, Yongbo DU2, Defu CHE2
Thermal Power Generation | 2026, 55(4) : 12 - 20
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Thermal Power Generation | 2026, 55(4): 12-20
Energy storage technology
Study on heat transfer characteristics of molten salt-steam heat exchanger
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Ruishen CHENG1, Changzhe FAN2, Xiaoyu LU1, Wenpei ZHAO1, Yonggang BAI1, Ke ZHOU1, Yongbo DU2, Defu CHE2
Affiliations
  • 1.Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710054, China
  • 2.School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Published: 2026-04-25 doi: 10.19666/j.rlfd.202507039
Outline
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Molten salt thermal energy storage technology can improve the flexibility of thermal power units. The molten salt evaporator, a core component of the system, utilizes the thermal energy of molten salt to convert boiler feedwater into superheated steam. However, the unique thermophysical properties of molten salt and the complex structure of the heat exchanger render existing heat transfer correlations inadequate for accurately predicting its thermal performance. Experimental studies on molten salt heat exchangers are costly, while existing numerical simulations cannot achieve coupled heat transfer calculations between the single-phase molten salt side and the phase-change working fluid side. In this study, with given feedwater inlet parameters, a numerical model for the molten salt side heat transfer is established by assuming an initial enthalpy distribution along the flow path. The heat flux distribution obtained from the simulation is then used to calculate the enthalpy variation of the working fluid, which is iteratively compared and corrected against the initially assumed values. Through multiple iterations, an accurate computation of the heat transfer process in the molten salt steam generator is achieved, enabling a detailed investigation of its operational characteristics. The results indicate that at an operating pressure of 2 MPa, during the transition from subcooled water to complete vaporization, the vaporization rate gradually increases. The heat flux peaks at 86 295.12 W/m2 upon complete vaporization, then decreases rapidly and eventually stabilizes around 5 000 W/m2. Significant temperature non-uniformity is observed across the flow cross-section of the molten salt, with a maximum thermal deviation of 216%. This temperature non-uniformity is alleviated as the inlet molten salt temperature decreases.

molten salt energy storage  /  heat exchanger  /  numerical simulation  /  heat transfer characteristics
Ruishen CHENG, Changzhe FAN, Xiaoyu LU, Wenpei ZHAO, Yonggang BAI, Ke ZHOU, Yongbo DU, Defu CHE. Study on heat transfer characteristics of molten salt-steam heat exchanger[J]. Thermal Power Generation, 2026 , 55 (4) : 12 -20 . DOI: 10.19666/j.rlfd.202507039
  • Major Special Project for Coal(2024ZD1700300)
  • Key Project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology(TC220H072)
Year 2026 volume 55 Issue 4
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Article Info
doi: 10.19666/j.rlfd.202507039
  • Receive Date:2025-07-13
  • Online Date:2026-08-14
  • Published:2026-04-25
Article Data
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History
  • Received:2025-07-13
  • Revised:2025-10-16
  • Accepted:2025-10-20
Funding
Major Special Project for Coal(2024ZD1700300)
Key Project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology(TC220H072)
Affiliations
    1.Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710054, China
    2.School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数

Family
属数
Number of
genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of
total species (%)

Genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of total
species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
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