A review study for physical characteristics and engineering perspectives of dual molten salt tanks

Energy storage is a crucial factor in enabling the flexible application and large-scale commercialization of renewable energy. It effectively addresses the issue of imbalance and mismatch between the supply and demand of electricity, heat, and other forms of energy. Molten salt thermal energy storage (TES) technology, particularly dual molten salt tanks, as a part of the energy storage technology that utilizes sensible heat, has been successfully implemented in various engineering applications, including the most representative concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, flexible retrofit of thermal power plants, and other peak-shifting energy storage facilities. This paper provides a comprehensive review study of research advancements in dual molten salt tanks, based on an analysis of relevant literature, conference releases, reports, news, and websites. Review topics are categorized as heat transfer and flow characteristics of the tank, thermal–mechanical coupling analysis, study of salt migration and leak, experience gained from engineering cases, and system-scale economic investigation. Additionally, conclusions and future research outlooks are presented.