Stabilization of Salts in High-Temperature Nitrate Salt Systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for thermally stabilizing molten nitrate salt in thermal power plants, in particular solar power plants, having the steps of: a) providing molten nitrate salt, said nitrate salt being selected from alkali metal nitrates, alkaline earth metal nitrates, and mixtures of one or more alkali metal nitrates and alkaline earth metal nitrates, and transporting the molten nitrate salt in lines provided for this purpose and b) introducing a heat quantity ΔQpat into the molten salt at a defined position, wherein the heat quantity is provided in particular by means of solar energy. The invention is characterized in that prior to or after step b), a stabilization gas is supplied to the molten nitrate salt, said stabilization gas having oxygen, at least one nitric gas, and optionally nitrogen. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.