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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | M A Y / J U N E 2 0 2 1 1 9 research to develop additive manufac- turing processes for silicon carbide– based primary heat exchangers that can withstand the required operating conditions. SETO also funds research in the early stages of material develop- ment like MAX phases and ceramic-met- al composites (cermets) that couple many of the most appealing attributes of high-strength ceramics with metallic alloys. For example, researchers at Pur- due University have developed a chem- ically reactive melt-infiltration process to fabricate geometrically complex heat exchangers made of a composite of zir- conium carbide and tungsten metal, a material with extremely promising strength, toughness, and thermal prop- erties for this application [14] (Fig. 3). This method is potentially applicable to the fabrication of other cermets, including, for example, composites of aluminum oxide and chromium, which is currently being investigated with SETO funding. CONCLUSIONS In many cases, increasing the tem- perature of thermal processes, and therefore the efficiency, is an import- ant pathway toward reducing process costs, particularly in the conversion of heat to electricity. However, the bene- fits of increased efficiency may be eas- ily offset if those temperatures require the use of obscure, niche, or techno- logically immature materials that are expensive, subject to slow and uncer- tain supply chains, or have significant uncertainties in performance. There- fore, it is a strategic priority for SETO to not only develop materials relevant to high-temperature solar-thermal ener- gy, but also to ensure that cost-effective manufacturing and fabrication meth- ods for advanced materials are devel- oped in tandem. ~AM&P For more information: Avi Shultz, CSP program manager, Solar Energy Tech- nologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, 202.445.4669, avi.shultz@ee.doe.gov, https://www. energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy- technologies-office. References 1. M. Mehos, et al., Concentrating Solar Power Best Practices Study, National Renewable Energy Lab, Golden, CO, 2020, https://www.nrel. gov/docs/fy20osti/75763.pdf. 2. C. Murphy, et al., The Potential Role of Concentrating Solar Power within the Context of DOE’s 2030 Solar Cost Targets, National Renewable Energy Lab, Golden, CO, 2019, https://www. nrel.gov/docs/fy19osti/71912.pdf. 3. M. Mehos, et al., Concentrating Solar Power Gen3 Demonstration Roadmap, National Renewable Energy Lab, Golden, CO, 2017, https://www. nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/67464.pdf. 4. U.S. Department of Energy, https:// energy.gov/under-secretary-science- and-energy/supercritical-co2-tech- team. 5. J. Moore, Development of a High- Efficiency Hot Gas Turbo-expander and Low-Cost Heat Exchangers for Optimized CSP Supercritical CO 2 Operation , Southwest Research Insti- tute, 2019, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/ 1560368-development-high-efficiency- hot-gas-turbo-expander- low-cost- heat- exchanger s -opt imi zed- csp - supercritical-co2-operation. 6. U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, General Electric GE Global Research project profile, https://www.energy.gov/eere/ solar/project-profile-general-electric- ge-global-research. 7. U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, Southwest Research Institute project profile, https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/ project-profile-southwest-research-in- stitute. 8. J. Shingledecker and J. Siefert, Age Hardenable Nickel-Based Alloy Developments and Research for New High Temperature Power Cycles, Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Superalloy 718 & Deriva- tives: Energy, Aerospace, and Industrial Applications; The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series, Springer, Cham, DOI: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1 007%2F978-3-319-89480-5_1. 9. B. Pint and R. Pillai, Lifetime Model Development for Supercritical CO 2 CSP Systems, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science and Technical Information, https://www.osti.gov/bib- lio/1515655-lifetime-model-develop- ment-supercritical-co2-csp-systems. 10. J. Shingledecker, et al., Materials Improvements for Improved Economy of High-Temperature Components in Future Gen3 CSP Systems, AIP Con- ference Proceedings, 2126, 2019, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5117512. 11. C.S. Turchi, J. Vidal, and M. Bauer, Molten Salt Power Towers Operating at 600-650°C: Salt Selection and Cost Benefits, Solar Energy, 164, p 38-46, 2018. 12. 12. B. Barua, et al., Design Guidance for High Temperature Concentrating Solar Power Components, United States, ANL-20/03, January 2020, DOE: https://doi.org/10.2172/1582656. 13. A full 3D analysis version of the tool with Alloy 740H material data is available as open-source soft- ware at https://github.com/Argonne- National-Laboratory/srlife. 14. M. Caccia, et al., Ceramic-Metal Heat Exchangers in Concentrated Solar Power Plants, Nature , 562 p 406-409, 2018. LIST OF REFERENCED PROJECTS The tables on the following pages provide a selection of SETO-funded projects focused on materials and man- ufacturing innovations. The list is not comprehensive of all SETO-funded projects, which can be found here: https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/ concentrating-solar-power-competitive- awards.