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In order to use solar energy independently from the sun, engineers have developed a technology to accumulate solar energy. This energy is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.
Fluid salt serves as a storage medium. Such a power plant has many thousand of tons of a special salt mixture that is being pushed via pumps back and forth between two well insulated tanks. On the way from one boiler to the other the molten salt reaches a pipe section that is surrounded by thermo-oil. During the sun-flooded daily hours the 400°C hot oil releases its heat to the fluid salt.
If no sun is available the heat transfer process is reversed and the hot salt solution flows back into the adjacent tank. This time the salt releases its heat surplus to the oil. DEKOMTE expansion joints are being applied everywhere in such power plants where saliferous process pipes lead into the tanks.
In the present case, besides the thermal extensions and highly corrosive medium, the problem of subsidence of the immense tank came up. During the initial fill and during the time short after the commissioning of the power plant such an event had to be taken into account and to be compensated for with an expansion joint solution. The possible subsidence and the expected thermal extension meant the expansion joint had to be designed for an axial movement of more than 160mm. Also, the aggressive medium required the use of high-quality material, special welding technologies and a condensate dissipating flow plate.
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