On 31.5.2022 from 10-10:50 a.m. DLR will broadcast live from the Évora Molten Salt Platform (EMSP) in Portugal to the DLR booth at the Hannover Messe (Hall 13, Booth D18). During the live broadcast, researchers from DLR and the University of Évora will give an insight into the technology and importance of solar thermal power plants and give an introduction to the EMSP. We cordially invite you to follow the broadcast live at the DLR booth! At the same time, DLR will also broadcast the event online.
DLR's inviters at the booth are:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the Executive Board
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karsten Lemmer, Member of the Executive Board
Prof. Dr. Christian Sattler, Divisional Board Member for Energy and Transport
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robert Pitz-Paal, Director of the Institute for Solar Research
In Hanover, project leader Dr.-Ing. Michael Wittmann will give an introduction to the plant, while on site at the EMSP, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Pedro Horta, Head of the Department of Renewable Energies at the University of Évora, as well as staff from the university and DLR will present the power plant.
We are very pleased that the Portuguese Deputy Minister Environment and Climate Action and State Secretary for Energy João Galamba will be a guest at our booth during the event.
Salt instead of oil in parabolic trough power plants for cheaper electricity
The Évora Molten Salt Platform was designed and built to test molten salt as a heat transfer medium in solar thermal power plants, especially parabolic troughs. Parabolic trough power plants convert solar energy first into heat and then into electricity.
To do this, they concentrate sunlight with special curved mirrors that focus the solar radiation onto tubes in the center of the trough. The tubes contain a heat transfer medium - in this case, molten salt. It absorbs the heat energy from the concentrated solar radiation and transports it to where it is needed for use. The heat energy can be used to drive a generator via a turbine to produce electricity. Alternatively, large tanks can store the molten salt, and thus the thermal energy itself, for up to 12 hours.
Currently, the most commonly used heat transfer medium is thermal oil. However, the use of molten salt has several advantages. It is cheaper and allows the use of higher temperatures (550 degrees Celsius instead of 400). This makes the entire process more efficient and electricity can be provided up to 20 percent cheaper.
The DLR Institute for Solar Research is leading the consortium and was responsible for the planning, conceptual design and qualification of the collector field. It is also supporting the scientific trial operation. The University of Évora is the owner of the Évora Molten Salt Platform test facility and supports the construction and operation of the plant infrastructure with operating personnel and scientific staff. Industrial partners include TSK Flagsol, YARA, Rioglass, Steinmüller Engineering, eltherm and RWE.
The work on the test facility is taking place within the framework of the High Performance Solar 2 (HPS2) research project. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz; BMWK), the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia; FCT) and the Alentejo Regional Operational Programme (Programa Operacional Regional do Alentejo).
For more information about the event, the online livestream, and other DLR events at Hannover Messe, visit DLR's special page for the Hannover Messe: DLR Events | Hannover Messe 2022