Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants are a promising solution for large-scale electricity generation.

A key innovation is the use of molten salts, which store and transfer the collected heat.

Thanks to their high thermal capacity, molten salts allow heat to be stored at high temperatures (up to 600°C) and retained, transitioning from solid to liquid to feed the storage system and generate energy through steam turbines.

Control valves are crucial in this sector, as they must handle complex challenges related to extremely high temperatures, variable pressures, and the chemical reactivity of molten salts.

Some challenges addressed and overcome by Bellino in this sector:
• Solidification → Careful valve geometry selection is essential to prevent the thermal fluid from stagnating and solidifying;

• Chemical compatibility → Material selection is carried out meticulously, as molten salts are particularly corrosive and any leakage could lead to serious hazards and significant costs;

• Management of high temperatures –> No risk of mechanical seizure or failure due to the significant thermal expansion that occurs in applications that can approach 600 °C;