Calculating molten-salt central-receiver lifetime under creep-fatigue damage

Abstract One of the major uncertainties in design molten-salt solar receivers is estimation lifetime because have to withstand high temperature, thermal stress and corrosive-media addition daily star-up shutdown. The first step estimate receiver damage therefore, monitor manage life cycle, obtain properly tube stresses under operating conditions. Whit this aim, we propose a straightforward low-computational cost procedure determine elastic-plastic regime. In addition, relaxation due visco-elastic behavior material, also calculated. analytical thermo-elastic, models for high-nickel alloy Haynes 230 were verified against finite element simulations showing good accuracy with cost. For exemplification purposes, reference operation day like Gemasolar investigated. A creep-fatigue assessment was developed flat aiming strategy. results showed that fatigue 0.03% total damage. average-field-receiver efficiency 42.18% predicted higher than expected. On contrary, increases unnecessarily field-receiver drops 26.25% when operated limiting as one third ultimate tensile strength (UTS/3). This limit loss revenues around 250,000€ per month. Hence, excessive level conservatism produced by methods are not suitable resulting economic penalties.