Article
Energy & Fuels
Kuo Zeng, Xinyi Yang, Yingpu Xie, Haiping Yang, Jun Li, Dian Zhong, Hongyang Zuo, Ange Nzihou, YouJian Zhu, Hanping Chen
Summary: This study investigated the use of variant molten salts in biomass pyrolysis, finding that carbonates can significantly improve the gas composition and quality of biomass pyrolysis products, as well as enhance the quality of bio-oil and char produced. The results also showed a shifting in molten salt composition and interaction between carbonates and char during biomass pyrolysis, affecting the yield of CO in pyrolysis gas and limiting the sustainable use of the system.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hua Tang, Hongyun Hu, Aijun Li, Baojun Yi, Xian Li, Dingding Yao, Hong Yao, Haoran Yuan
Summary: The innovative molten salt thermal treatment was proposed to remove impurities from waste tire pyrolytic char, with the highest removal rate achieved at 400 degrees Celsius. This method effectively removed over 80% of ash and 70% of sulfur, achieving a char recovery rate between 71% and 83%.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jun Li, Jing Peng, Kuo Zeng, Dian Zhong, Kang Xu, Vasilevich Sergey Vladimirovich, Ange Nzihou, Haiping Yang, Hanping Chen
Summary: Pyrolysis of algae in molten carbonates driven by concentrated solar energy is proposed as an economical and environmentally friendly method to obtain capacitive carbon for supercapacitors. The effects of different molten carbonates on pyrolysis process and electrochemical performance are investigated. Na2CO3-K2CO3 leads to a high carbon yield and superior microstructure at around 900 degrees C, resulting in a capacitive carbon with high specific capacitance and capacitance retention.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jing Peng, Jun Li, Dian Zhong, Kuo Zeng, Kang Xu, Junjie Gao, Ange Nzihou, Xiong Zhang, Haiping Yang, Hanping Chen
Summary: Molten salt pyrolysis of N-rich algae driven by concentrated solar energy is an economical and environmentally friendly method to prepare N-doped value-added carbon. The transformation of nitrogen during the carbon production process by algae pyrolysis in molten Na2CO3-K2CO3 is investigated in-depth, which contributes to the utilization or treatment of nitrogen-containing products. Algae-N is mainly converted to gas-N, and the gas-N yield increases as temperature rises, reaching 75.7 wt.% at 900 degrees C. Molten salt reduces the release temperature of all N-containing gas, captures 89.6% of HCN as CN-, and promotes the release of NH3 and NO. The char-N is dominated by pyrrole-N and quaternary-N at 800-900 degrees C due to the promotion of molten salt and higher temperature. The major contributors to the bio-oil-N yield are pentadecanenitrile, isoamyl cyanide, benzyl nitrile, styryl cyanide, pyrrole and indole. Nitriles and indoles are promising N-containing products in value-added carbon production, while NH3 and NO are primary pollution gas to be controlled.
FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Muhammad Taha Manzoor, Laurence Peinturier, Melanie Tetreault-Friend
Summary: Researchers have developed a low-cost concrete-based thermal energy storage tank that can operate at high temperatures and in corrosive environments. The engineered concrete composites are made using commercially available additives and coatings. Rigorous testing has shown that the tanks can effectively withstand thermal shocks experienced during daily salt charge/discharge cycles. Additionally, the salt diffusion through the porous concrete walls is suppressed by using external coatings. The compatibility of the engineered composites with high-temperature chloride salts has also been qualitatively evaluated under a high-flux solar simulator.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bin Li, Jiazhen Tang, Xing Xie, Juntao Wei, Deliang Xu, Lei Shi, Kuan Ding, Shu Zhang, Xun Hu, Shihong Zhang, Dongjing Liu
Summary: Pyrolysis of wheat straw in Li2CO3-K2CO3 binary salt enhanced charring reactions and resulted in higher biochar yield. The structure of biochar showed different trends at different pyrolysis temperatures, with the C content increasing and the H and O contents decreasing at 450-550°C, and the decrease in H content and increase in O content and decrease in C content at 600-700°C. The enhanced activation effect of the molten salt at higher temperature resulted in the formation of more porous structures and enriching the biochar with O-containing groups.
Article
Thermodynamics
Christian Odenthal, Jonas Tombrink, Freerk Klasing, Thomas Bauer
Summary: Various models for packed bed single tank molten salt storage systems have been compared, considering different use cases and considering the impact of heat losses and variable fluid properties. The results show that the choice of model significantly affects the outcome, and the results vary for different use cases. Therefore, selecting a reasonable level of modelling detail based on desired accuracy and computational effort is important.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Nuclear Science & Technology
Luke R. Cornejo, Benjamin R. Betzler, Kristian Myhre, Joanna McFarlane
Summary: This study describes computational modeling to determine the feasibility of using molten salt reactors for Mo-99 production, showing that MSBR, MSDR, and MSRE can all meet global demand. Each reactor type has sufficient production capability under different operating parameters.
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kaleb Lippiatt, Stuart Bell, Teng-Cheong Ong, Chris East, Donald McAuley, Geoffrey Will, Ted Steinberg
Summary: Proper materialographic sample preparation is crucial in electron microscopy to achieve high-quality material results, with the use of kerosene as a lubricant showing to be the best option for analyzing molten salt corrosion phenomena.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sakhon Ratchahat, Atthapon Srifa, Wanida Koo-amornpattana, Chularat Sakdaronnarong, Tawatchai Charinpanitkul, Kevin C-W Wu, Pau-Loke Show, Satoshi Kodama, Wiwut Tanthapanichakoon, Hidetoshi Sekiguchi
Summary: The research on syngas production from cellulose pyrolysis showed that combining carbonate salts with alumina-supported nickel catalyst can significantly reduce tar content, increase gas yield, and decrease CO2 formation. However, catalyst deactivation due to corrosiveness of molten salt is a serious issue that needs to be addressed to maintain catalyst performance.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kang Xu, Jun Li, Kuo Zeng, Dian Zhong, Jing Peng, Yi Qiu, Gilles Flamant, Haiping Yang, Hanping Chen
Summary: This study provides insights into the characteristics of nitrogen-containing compounds during protein-rich spirulina platensis pyrolysis in a ternary eutectic carbonate. The results show that molten carbonate significantly reduces the nitrogen-containing compounds content in bio-oil and heavy bio-oil, and plays an important role in the depolymerization and conversion processes.
Article
Thermodynamics
Liu Cui, Qingsheng Yu, Gaosheng Wei, Xiaoze Du
Summary: The addition of nanoparticles to molten salt can enhance its thermal conductivity for thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants. Molecular dynamics simulations show that Al2O3 nanoparticles improve the thermal conductivity of solar salt, although not as significantly as SiO2 nanoparticles. New insights into the heat conduction mechanisms of molten salt-based nanofluids are provided, emphasizing the role of atom motions and interactions in the nanoparticles rather than the base fluid.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Javier Ruiz-Cabanas, Virginia Madina, A. Ines Fernandez, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This manuscript discusses the challenge of cost-reduction in thermal energy storage system in concentrating solar power (CSP), and evaluates the performance of tank materials in contact with molten salts in a demo plant. The study reveals the corrosion phenomena in the tank materials caused by the introduction of CO2 in the tanks during the preheating process.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ruolin Li, Yang Ren, Chengyang Cao, Chao He, Hongyun Hu, Xian Li, Hong Yao
Summary: This study proposes the use of molten salt for the pyrolysis of waste tires and compares the conversion behavior of different particle sizes. The results show that molten salt increases H2 and CH4 content in the pyrolysis gas, removes sulfur and ash from the waste tires.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alok Dhaundiyal, Divine Atsu
Summary: A pilot size reactor was tested to examine its design suitability for effective gas generation. The thermal efficiency and chemical exergy of the reactor were calculated for different temperature ranges, showing higher efficiency for higher temperatures and dried biomass. The study aims to provide a clean energy generation method by improving the exergetic content of the reactor.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Espen Olsen, Torbjorn Mehl, Helene Eikaas Stalheim, Mari Juel, Rune Sondena, Ingunn Burud
Summary: In silicon crystals manufactured by the Czochralski method, oxygen contamination from the quartz crucible can lead to the formation of thermal donors, affecting electrical conductivity. The behavior of thermal donors during crystal growth and methods for minimizing their incorporation and removal are investigated using spectroscopic techniques.
PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marija Vukovic, Ingeborg Eriksdatter Hoiaas, Marko Jakovljevic, Andreas Svarstad Flo, Espen Olsen, Ingunn Burud
Summary: Spectral imaging techniques are useful for monitoring degradation mechanisms in solar panels, and recent studies have explored the detection of luminescence during daylight. This research presents a proof of concept for detecting photoluminescence using sunlight excitation, allowing for imaging of multiple modules simultaneously. The method shows promise in identifying degradation mechanisms with lower resolution, such as large area damage and inactive areas.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Annett Thogersen, Ingvild J. T. Jensen, Joachim S. Graff, Inga Gudem Ringdalen, Patricia Almeida Carvalho, Torbjorn Mehl, Junjie Zhu, Ingunn Burud, Espen Olsen, Rune Sondena
Summary: The underlying causes of the d-band emission peak VID3 in high-performance multi-crystalline silicon wafers were investigated using various techniques. It was found that the VID3 peak intensity was higher at sub-grain and Sigma twin boundaries bordering grains with a small misorientation, indicating higher stress in these regions. Defects near the twin boundary suggested the presence of a light element dopant, such as oxygen. Density functional theory calculations showed that oxygen tends to segregate to this boundary.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ingeborg Hoiaas, Katarina Grujic, Anne Gerd Imenes, Ingunn Burud, Espen Olsen, Nabil Belbachir
Summary: This paper reviews imaging technologies and methods for analyzing faults in photovoltaic modules. It provides an overview of reliability studies and monitoring approaches for photovoltaic systems. The focus is on infrared thermography and luminescence imaging technologies, with emphasis on ease of implementation and compatibility with unmanned aerial systems. The paper also discusses the latest advances in electroluminescence, photoluminescence, and ultraviolet fluorescence imaging.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sepideh Niazi, Alexander Bonk, Andrea Hanke, Moritz to Baben, Bruno Reis, Espen Olsen, Heidi S. Nygard
Summary: KCl-CuCl is a promising molten salt for biomass liquefaction due to its low melting point and high thermal and hydrolysis stability. This study investigates its thermodynamic properties and phase diagram through experiments and modeling.
Article
Physics, Applied
M. Vukovic, M. Jakovljevic, A. S. Flo, E. Olsen, I. Burud
Summary: Outdoor photoluminescence imaging on field-deployed solar cell modules has been increasingly conducted in recent years. This imaging technique provides more detailed information about defects compared to thermal infrared imaging, and it has the potential to be faster than electroluminescence imaging as it does not require electrical connection to the modules. However, when conducted with sunlight excitation, it usually relies on lock-in technique, which involves switching between the modules' two operating points. This often requires additional electrical equipment and causes production disruption for the modules. This study demonstrates a noninvasive image acquisition method based on the string inverter's ability to sweep the IV curve. The advantage of this approach is that it only requires imaging apparatus and allows for flexible imaging procedures without additional equipment. Photoluminescence images spanning the whole IV curve can be obtained during one sweep, offering insights into the state of the cells and modules.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Heidi S. Nygard, Nils Amund Rusas Ruud, Espen Olsen
Summary: The translation focuses on an emerging technology called carbon capture in molten salts (CCMS), which has high potential to achieve deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The study investigates the effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and oxygen (O-2) on carbon capture in CCMS and concludes that the technology shows some tolerance to SO2 in simulated flue gases.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sepideh Niazi, Heidi S. Nygard, Bruno Reis, Moritz to Baben
Summary: Thermochemical databases for aqueous and high-temperature salt solutions have been developed separately in the past few decades. However, there is increasing interest in highly concentrated aqueous solutions and the hydrolysis of salt melts, bridging the gap between the two communities. This study consistently models the liquid phase between H2O, HCl, KOH, and KCl, covering a wide range of temperatures. The modeling successfully represents phase diagrams and heat of reactions using the Calphad technique.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
M. Vukovic, K. H. Liland, U. G. Indahl, M. Jakovljevic, A. S. Flo, E. Olsen, I. Burud
Summary: Photoluminescence imaging is a promising technique for high-throughput on-site inspection of photovoltaic modules. A noninvasive photoluminescence imaging method has been proposed recently, which acquires images during a current-voltage curve sweep to detect continuously changing photoluminescence signals. An alternative algorithm based on the Pearson correlation coefficient is employed to process the images efficiently and unsupervised, enabling real-time surveillance and detection of functional anomalies. This algorithm is robust to varying solar irradiance and can process photoluminescence signals from multiple asynchronized strings.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Thorbjorn Lund Onsaker, Heidi S. Nygard, Damia Gomila, Pere Colet, Ralf Mikut, Richard Jumar, Heiko Maass, Uwe Kuehnapfel, Veit Hagenmeyer, Benjamin Schaefer
Summary: Modelling, forecasting, and understanding the dynamics of the power grid and its frequency are crucial for ensuring the safe operation of power grids. This study focuses on European islands and compares their frequency prediction to the Nordic power system as a reference. The Balearic Islands are found to be more predictable, while Iceland is harder to predict. Additionally, it is shown that 2-4 weeks of data are needed for improved prediction performance.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-COMPLEXITY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
M. Vukovic, M. Hillestad, M. Jakovljevic, A. S. Flo, E. Olsen, I. Burud
Summary: Photoluminescence imaging under different irradiance conditions has been studied in the inspection of field-installed photovoltaic modules. The potential of photoluminescence images in defect analysis has been shown at low irradiance levels. A new method without the use of the lock-in technique has been proposed for photoluminescence imaging to filter sunlight. This study demonstrates the valuable information that can be obtained from photoluminescence imaging under diffuse irradiance conditions.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Torbjorn Mehl, Ingunn Burud, Espen Olsen, Rune Sondena
Summary: In this study, the differences between B and Ga-doped silicon wafers were investigated using hyperspectral photoluminescence imaging. The results showed that there was almost no luminescence from the grain boundaries of Ga-doped as cut wafers, in contrast to B-doped ones. After the PDG pre-processing step, the grain boundaries of Ga-doped silicon wafers became PL active and mainly consisted of D1 and D2 signals.
11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRYSTALLINE SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS (SILICONPV 2021)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Torbjorn Mehl, Jon-Fredik Blakstad Cappelen, Rune Sondena, Ingunn Burud, Espen Olsen
Summary: Light and elevated temperature induced degradation (LeTID) is a significant issue in PERC cells, which reduces their performance. Although the mechanism behind this degradation is not fully understood, hydrogen in the bulk of the cell is suggested to play a role. In this study, high-performance multicrystalline silicon (HPMC-Si) p-type wafers with different processing methods were investigated for LeTID using hyperspectral photoluminescence imaging. Results showed that LeTID was only observed in samples with both surface passivation and hydrogen bulk passivation, indicating the involvement of bulk hydrogen in the mechanism.
11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRYSTALLINE SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS (SILICONPV 2021)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Marija Vukovic, Ingeborg Eriksdatter Hoiaas, Marko Jakovljevic, Andreas Svarstad Flo, Espen Olsen, Ingunn Burud
Summary: Spectral imaging techniques are powerful tools for monitoring degradation mechanisms in PV power plants. This study presents an approach for detecting photoluminescence with sunlight excitation in silicon solar modules. By wireless communication with the string inverter, it enables imaging of multiple modules simultaneously. The advantage of this approach is that it can be conducted in daylight without wiring, although the image quality may be affected by the string inverter's reaction time.
11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRYSTALLINE SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS (SILICONPV 2021)
(2022)