Dynalene Receives STTR Grant from the NSF for Developing Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steel Alloys Used in Concentrated Solar Power

WHITEHALL, PENNSYLVANIA – Dynalene, Inc. is pleased to announce it has been awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the proposal titled, “Corrosion Inhibition of Stainless Steel Alloys in High Temperature Chloride Salts for Concentrated Solar Power Applications.” This prestigious grant will facilitate a collaboration between Dynalene and researchers at Lehigh University to develop a cost-effective, high-temperature molten salt heat transfer fluid and thermal storage medium for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. The research initiative is being led by Principal Investigator Dr. Sreya Dutta of Dynalene and Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Animesh Kundu of Lehigh University.

With the global demand for energy continuing to rise, alternative energy sources have become a primary focus of research. Molten salt heat transfer fluids utilized in concentrated solar power plants represent a critical sub-area of this innovation. As a longtime supplier of molten nitrate salts, Dynalene will leverage the NSF grant to further advance its technology through the development of high-temperature (>650°C) molten chloride salts.

While molten chloride salts display exceptional high-temperature properties compared to traditional nitrate salts, their extreme corrosiveness toward stainless steel has historically been a major deterrent for CSP applications. Under this grant, Dynalene is developing inhibited molten chloride salts with superior high-temperature stability that minimize corrosion by forming an in-situ, corrosion-resistant ceramic layer directly on the stainless steel surface.

The application of this inhibited molten chloride salt is projected to increase the efficiency of energy generation in solar power plants while providing substantial cost savings. By utilizing ubiquitous, economical metals such as stainless steel in place of expensive superalloys, the technology could drastically reduce the capital expenditures required for CSP infrastructure.