Molten Salt Batteries
Energy PhD Project
“Creating the Next Generation of Energy Storage for Renewable Energy Generation and
Smart Grids”
Dr Rohit Bhagat
Project Overview:
A PhD studentship is available to investigate the use of molten salts to create a medium to
large-scale battery. During the studentship there will be significant opportunity to work with
industry. This project will involve aspects of applied chemistry, materials science and
engineering.
Energy generation and demand must be in constant balance. Energy generation is
unpredictable and this is apparent in renewable energy generation, which is both
unpredictable and intermittent. Energy storage allows electricity to be stored when
generated and supplied when demanded. Large-scale energy storage is an attractive
solution for load balancing on energy grids. This technology would improve the utilisation of
renewable energy sources and enable smart grids. However, current methods such as
pumped storage hydroelectricity (PSH) are not viable in all service conditions.
This studentship will focus on developing a large scale land based molten salt battery.
Realisation of this technology would provide a load balancing capability for all service
conditions. In addition, energy generation from variable renewable sources (wind, solar,
wave etc.) would be more fully utilised by storing energy not currently demanded.
Molten salt batteries are batteries based on molten salt systems (e.g. CaCl 2 or Al2O3) that
operate typically above >350°C. In the simplest case electricity will be used to
electrochemically separate Al2O3 into aluminium and oxygen. When electricity is demanded
aluminium and oxygen can be recombined to form Al2O3.
This research is of major importance in the creation of smart grids, utilisation of
renewable energy sources and load balancing on national grids. The successful
applicant will gain extensive experience in the subjects of electrochemistry,
electrochemical energy storage media and molten salts
Objectives :
 Study the thermodynamics of molten salt systems to identify reversible systems
that could be used to store energy.
 Construct lab scale molten salt batteries based on the identified systems
 Characterise the batteries using electrochemical techniques
 Optimise the molten salt battery
 Construct a medium scale molten salt battery for use on university campus and
integrate with a wind turbine.
The PhD candidate will develop knowledge and expertise in electrochemistry,
thermodynamics and construction of new battery systems and materials characterisation.
Applicants should ideally have some chemical engineering and/or electrochemical
background.