Corrosion risks and critical components in CSP plants

As previously mentioned, various corrosion mechanisms can occur in CSP plants, primarily linked to the HTFs used in the solar fields. While HTFs are selected for their high thermal stability and efficient heat transfer capabilities, they can also become a source of corrosion under certain operating conditions. However, other components throughout the plant may also be exposed to corrosion, depending on environmental factors such as humidity, pollutants, or soil contact.

Understanding corrosion mechanisms requires an investigation into the reactions that lead to the formation of oxide layers or the undesirable dissolution of the metal, which results in corrosion damage. It is equally important to detect stress corrosion phenomena in the presence of molten salts or other environmentally induced cracking mechanisms.

Molten salts, due to their...