Compatibility of structural materials with AlSi12 alloys-based phase change material and increasing the corrosion resistance by ceramic coatings

Abstract

Aluminum Silicon eutectic (AlSi12) alloy-based latent heat thermal energy storage can be integrated with concentrated solar power (CSP) to generate dispatchable power at an affordable cost. Despite AlSi12's favorable thermophysical properties, it reacts with steel at higher temperatures, posing a challenge for storage containers (structural materials). The use of ceramic materials as a protective coating for steel is possible due to their corrosion-resistant properties. Thus, this study examines the compatibility of steel structural materials (SS316, SS202, and P91) and ceramic-coated steel (Alumina – Al2O3 and Yttria Stabilized Zirconia – YSZ) with molten AlSi12. The experiment indicates that P91 steel and YSZ-coated steel have better corrosion resistance when measured over 120 h.