The National Solar Thermal Test Facility houses unique Thermal Energy Storage capabilities to test and validate solutions to store and provide efficient low-cost heat over a range of industry relevant scales.
Government and industry heat process users are invited to connect with Sandia’s thermal energy storage subject matter experts and experienced technologists to discover how to improve the overall performance of their current systems and components, integrate advanced storage technologies with current systems, and enhance their latest heat process methods.
In addition to the prototype-to-demonstration-scale testing at the capabilities described below, our engineers provide expertise in high-fidelity modeling of thermal fluids and particles, techno-economic analysis and lifecycle analysis of systems and components, and performance modeling of integrated storage and load paradigms.
Take Our Stakeholder Survey
The $15 million, DOE-funded Thermal Energy Storage TestBed (TESBed) project is seeking input from Industry Stakeholders! Contact PI Jeremy Sment or take our quick survey to share your industry needs.
Capabilities and Equipment
Molten Salt Loop
The Molten Salt Test Loop at Sandia National Laboratories is a unique, industrial-scale testing capability that allows industry, government, and academic researchers to test components in flowing, molten nitrate salts.
Heat Exchanger Test Stand
Our 20-kilowatt thermal heat exchanger test stand features modular test bays for flexible component testing and autonomous operation for extended testing.
Radial Packed Bed TES Facility
Sandia’s Radial Packed Bed TES Facility stores thermal energy using 3/8″ pea gravel and can operate at up to 800 degrees Celsius.
Two-tank Particle TES
Our system stores up to 6 megawatt-hours of thermal energy. A hot tank stores particles up to 800 degrees Celsius. Gravity feeds them through an outlet to a heat exchanger, then to a cold tank. A bucket lift returns the particles to the top.
Work with Us
We partner with large and small businesses, universities, and government agencies. With multiple agreement types to select from, partners can access world-class science, engineering, experts, and infrastructure.
Contact
Margaret Gordon, Integrated Solar and Thermal Energy Systems
megord@sandia.gov
Rob Keene, National Solar Thermal Test Facility
rskeene@sandia.gov