Experimental investigations and qualification of innovative flow sensors in the 1000 K SOLTEC-2 sodium loop

Liquid metals, such as sodium, have been already successfully used as heat transfer fluids (HTF) in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants up to ~550 °C. Even higher temperatures can be achieved and are envisioned for future CSP plants. The lack of measuring flow rate devices at high temperatures for liquid metals motivated this study. The present paper presents the experimental mock-up and the experimental results obtained with the SOLTEC-2 facility for two test flow sensors, one innovative eddy current flow sensor (ECFM) developed at HZDR, Germany and a built-in permanent magnet fly-wheel sensor for runs up to a sodium temperature of 700 °C. The signals of the sensors are compared also against the power level of the sodium pump.