Molten salt thermal energy storage systems  are used during times when energy is not needed. The liquid salt is  stored as thermal energy in highly insulated tanks at a temperature of  300-500 degrees Celsius, depending on the type of salt being stored.  These systems most commonly utilize sodium nitrate and/or potassium  nitrate due to their non-corrosive nature.  

When energy is needed, the salt is pumped  into a steam generator where the hot salt boils water. The steam  produced from the boiling water turns a turbine generator, which  produces energy. After the salt cools, it is pumped back into the  storage system where it is reheated to prepare for another use (Dodaro,  2015). 

In my opinion, using molten salt as a form  of alternative energy production/storage seems like a good option if we  can create more plants. Right now, there are very few molten salt  plants; therefore, the process does not create much energy. "The largest  molten salt solar plant, located in United States, can produce 110  Megawatt of electricity. While the largest solar power plant can produce  more than 2,000 Megawatt of energy, almost a third of the largest coal  power plant with 6,720 Megawatt" (sataksig, 2020). Molten nitrate salt  has a volumetric heat capacity of around 3,000 

. That is roughly 1,000 

more than similar synthetic heat transfer processes.  

In addition, these salts do not pose  hardly any hazard to the plant they are in or the surrounding areas. The  only precaution that must be taken is to keep the salt away from open  flames, sparks, or any sources of ignition as the salt will release  oxygen when they break down, providing more fuel for a fire (McMullen,  2016). 

References:  

Molten Salt Storage. (n.d.). Large.stanford.edu. http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2015/ph240/dodaro2/Links to an external site. 

Using Molten Salts as a Heat Transfer Fluid and Thermal-Storage Medium | 2016-10-26 | Process Heating. (n.d.). Www.process-Heating.comLinks to an external site.. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.process-heating.com/articles/91918-using-molten-salts-as-a-heat-transfer-fluid-and-thermal-storage-medium#:~:text=Salts%20also%20have%20relatively%20high%20latent%20heat%20capacityLinks to an external site. 

‌ sataksig. (2020, December 1). What Is Molten Salt Power Plant? Here We Explain This Innovation. Earth Buddies. https://earthbuddies.net/molten-salt/#:~:text=The%20largest%20molten%20salt%20solar%20plant%2C%20located%20in

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