Active Fluidization Storage Applications for CSP

AbstractThe current paper proposes three thermal storage concepts for solar thermal power plants, which are all based on sand powder as storage medium. The solid powder is used in a manner similar to fluid storage media such as molten salt. Fluidization is needed in order to produce fluid-like behavior of the powder. Applying powders as storage media for thermal energy storages offers advantages such as low cost, no freezing danger and hence no melting effort, no corrosion, local availability and high allowable temperatures. The storage media demand for all three concepts is estimated