Thermo-Hydraulic Validation of a Molten Salt Test Receiver Model

This paper presents the validation of a detailed dynamic process model of a high performance molten salt test receiver located in the Multi-Focus-Tower in Jülich, Germany. The model was improved in several steps after comparison with the measurement data, and lessons learned are derived from the results of the validation process. The model shows excellent accuracy, beating the expectations. Nevertheless, there are still some phenomena that are not yet fully understood, which makes further investigation necessary before the results can be transferred to other systems with full confidence. Despite the remaining uncertainties, the model can now serve as a digital twin for the testing system that can generate synthetic training data for machine learning systems or functions as a basis for model predictive controls (MPC) or model based operational assistance systems (OAS).