Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin
Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin
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DOI：
10.1038/nature24054
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发表时间：
2017-10-12
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Henry, A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Amy, C.;Budenstein, D.;Henry, A.
热是发电和许多工业过程的基础，在高温下最有用，因为它可以更有效地转化为其他类型的能源。然而，在极端温度（超过1300开尔文）下高效的运输、储存和转换热量对许多应用来说是不切实际的。液态金属是高温下非常有效的传热介质，但液态金属泵送一直受到金属基础设施腐蚀的限制。在这里，我们展示了一个陶瓷机械泵，可以用来在大约1473 - 1673开尔文的温度下连续循环液态锡。我们的液态金属泵送方法是通过使用陶瓷作为机械和密封部件来实现的，但由于陶瓷的脆性，它们的使用需要仔细的工程设计。我们的装置可以在以前无法达到的温度下使用液体进行有效的传热，并且可以用于储热和运输，电力生产以及化学或材料加工。
Heat is fundamental to power generation and many industrial processes, and is most useful at high temperatures because it can be converted more efficiently to other types of energy. However, efficient transportation, storage and conversion of heat at extreme temperatures (more than about 1,300 kelvin) is impractical for many applications. Liquid metals can be very effective media for transferring heat at high temperatures, but liquid-metal pumping has been limited by the corrosion of metal infrastructures. Here we demonstrate a ceramic, mechanical pump that can be used to continuously circulate liquid tin at temperatures of around 1,473-1,673 kelvin. Our approach to liquid-metal pumping is enabled by the use of ceramics for the mechanical and sealing components, but owing to the brittle nature of ceramics their use requires careful engineering. Our set-up enables effective heat transfer using a liquid at previously unattainable temperatures, and could be used for thermal storage and transport, electric power production, and chemical or materials processing.