Evaluation of ceramic proppants as heat transfer and storage medium

Various commercial proppants originally produced for fracking industry were examined as candidate materials to be used in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants as heat transfer and storage medium. Material properties as well as application related functional properties have been elucidated in a comparative manner. Despite their similar chemical composition, varying microstructures resulted in distinct application related functional properties. Carboceramics proppants are determined as the most promising candidate with highest viscous flow temperature, heat capacity, solar absorptance after thermal aging and abrasion resistance owing to well crystallized microstructure without glassy components. Moreover, the importance of the microstructure to achieve desired application related properties is revealed, in the scope of this study.