Specific heat capacity enhancement in nanofluids

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Reinhard Hentschke
• Subject Area: Theoretical Chemistry: Molecules, Materials, Surfaces ; Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 259929476

Molten salts are used as heat transfer fluids and for short term heat energy storage in solar power plants. A number of experiments show that the specific heat capacity of the base salt is significantly enhanced by adding small amounts of certain nano-particles. This effect, which is technically interesting and economically important, is not yet understood. Our aim is the theoretical investigation of the specific heat capacity in the aforementioned nano fluids on the molecular level, using molecular modeling and simulations, thereby providing a contribution to the optimization of heat transfer and heat storage fluids in solar power plants.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants