Solar Energy Thermal Storage
Store and manage Sun power
Ceramics technologies empowering Concentrated Solar Power
Thermal storage is one of the most important part for a Solar Plant. That is exactly why Saint-Gobain decided to use all his knowledge and experience in ceramics to design the best solution for Thermal Storage in Concentrated Solar Power Units.
NorPro is already well-known in its current sectors (oil and gas production, refining, petrochemical/chemical and environmental industries for more than 100 years). Our key word? Co-development! Tailor specific products and optimize physical, thermal, and chemical properties to fulfil your requirements is really important to Saint-Gobain NorPro.
Saint-Gobain NorPro has served the oil and gas production, refining, petrochemical/chemical and environmental industries for more than 100 years, providing technology-driven ceramic solutions for process and manufacturing challenges. The company operates three distinct businesses that serve a diverse array of markets within the hydrocarbon supply chain: Catalytic Products, Process Ceramics and Proppants. Saint-Gobain NorPro is the foremost supplier of merchant catalyst carriers worldwide. Saint-Gobain NorPro carriers are typically co-developed into catalysts that are used in the manufacture of important Chemical, Petrochemicals and Refinery applications. Process Ceramics develops and manufactures engineered ceramic media used in process intensive industries to produce many materials that affect everyone’s quality of life. Denstone® support media are used in ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer production, as well as hydrotreating and other clean fuel processes at refineries, dehydrators at ethanol plants, and many other processes. Norton Proppants manufactures ceramic proppants, small beads approximately the size of a grain of sand, for use in oil and gas well stimulation. Norton was the first company to produce a ceramic proppant and began manufacturing the product in 1979.
In the area of solar thermal power generation, NorPro focuses its capabilities and knowledge of engineered ceramic media for heat storage to provide solutions for critical thermal storage systems. Ceramics are uniquely suited for thermal storage due to their high heat capacity, thermal conductivity and resistance to corrosion in a variety of atmospheres and fluids. NorPro possesses extensive expertise and experience in engineering high performance ceramic shapes and materials that optimize system pressure drop and heat transfer properties. For example, NorPro designs and manufactures products for Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO) where the ceramic media are used to store and release heat in a cyclical operation. Combined with its design capabilities, process industry knowledge, and the resources of Saint-Gobain, NorPro is able to provide tailored, competitive solutions for large scale thermal energy storage in concentrated solar power applications.
NorPro is of course backed by Saint-Gobain's worldwide R&D (Research and Development) with over 3 000 employees in 20 research and 70 development centers with dedicated ceramics R&D centers in France, the United-Stats and China.
Expertise in heat storage
NorPro has a strong expertise in heat storage for Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO's) and other applications.
Our solutions are designed accordind to 3 interconnected capabilities for thermal management:
- optimized formulations,
- high performance shapes,
- ceramic spheres from 500µm to 50mm.
We will help you to design your most effective heat storage solution for your Concentrated Solar Power Units!
| Thermal shock | High temperature | Halide resistance | Alkali resistance | Acid resistance | Relative cost | |
| Proware™ | + | + | + + + + | + | ||
| HSB™ | + + + | + + | + | + + | ||
| Hi-Temp™ | + | + + + | + + | + + + | + + | |
| Pharmaware™ | + + | + + | + + + | + | + + | |
| Alkaware® | + + + | + + | + + + | + + + | ||
| High Alumina | + + + | + + + + | + + + | + + + | + + + + |
Number of "+" indicates relative capability of the material.
Thermal management properties optimization
Material properties are important for optimized thermal transfer and heat management. Heat capacity, thermal conductivity or corrosion resistance are the main properties for optimized thermal management. NorPro brings its expertise to design the best solution for you.
The shape of your product is also a critical factor in media performance. NorPro will provide you solutions that will allow to control pressure drop and improve thermal transfer. The shape also influences different characteristics and really needs to be studied according to your project.
NorPro will share its expertise to provide the best thermal management solution possible for your Concentrated Solar Power Units. Co-development, temperature fluctuations minimization and reduced pressure drop accross reactor beds will give you the best for your solar plants.
There still is a strong potential for improved performance based on alternative geometries and materials and you will always benefit from our strong research and development in ceramics and heat storage solutions.
Products for thermal storage applications
Contact Saint-Gobain NorPro for heat management solutions
Contact Saint-Gobain NorPro to tap the ceramic expertise of over a century and the engineered materials knowledge of the entire Saint-Gobain Group.
www.NorPro.Saint-Gobain.com
NorPro.Stow@Saint-Gobain.com
