Power generation

Coal-fired power plants emit more CO2 per kWh than any other form of generation. This study looks at how molybdenum-containing steels and superalloys are used in modern coal-fired plants to increase high temperature strength and resistance to chlorine-containing flue gases.  These properties enable supercritical and new ultra-supercritical power plants to be run at higher temperatures, increasing thermal efficiency and delivering significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Solar power is an increasingly prevalent source of carbon-free, renewable energy generation. New thin-film photovoltaic panels offer significant advantages over traditional arrays in manufacturing, cost and design flexibility. Molybdenum provides several advantages as a component of the back electrode in CdTe cells, and as the sole material of the back electrode in CIGS technology.

Many aging US power plants have copper alloy condensers that are suffering from erosion or corrosion. Many power plants have solved the problem permanently by replacing the tube bundles with 4 to 6% molybdenum- containing stainless steels. Edward Blessman of Trent Tube, East Troy, Wisconsin, contributed the information in this article and IMOA would like to thank him for his assistance. Nicole Kinsman, formerly of Technical Marketing Resources (Consultants to IMOA) is the author.

A North American nuclear power plant originally had a lined carbon steel service water piping system. The system began to deteriorate within a few years of installation, especially at the welded joints of the carbon steel piping.

For centuries, molybdenum was confused with lead and graphite until scientists finally isolated the element in 1781. It came into commercial use during World War I as a steel hardening agent. In the century that followed, hundreds of uses and functions of molybdenum have been uncovered, from corrosion resistance in stainless steels to an essential role in human health.

Cable trays weave order into the chaos of cables and tubing, transforming sprawling installations into clean, efficient systems. From oil platforms to food production facilities and tunnel infrastructure, molybdenum-containing stainless steel trays deliver exceptional performance, with unmatched resistance to corrosion and high temperatures.

As the world strives for climate neutrality, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is an essential bridge to a sustainable future. By capturing CO₂ from industrial processes for storage or reuse, CCUS can prevent harmful emissions from reaching the atmosphere. The reliability and durability of this technology depend on molybdenum-containing materials.

Friction is the resistance encountered when one surface or object moves against another. Often overlooked, friction is a significant cause of wasted energy. Reducing friction in large-scale processes such as power generation, manufacturing, and transportation could dramatically lower energy usage, costs, and emissions. Molybdenum-based lubricants and molybdenum-alloyed steels are poised to usher in this change.

Biogas plants make a valuable contribution to green energy generation: they provide electricity, heat, gas and vehicle fuel, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, these plants contribute to the reduction of organic waste. Due to their exceptional corrosion resistance and strength, molybdenum-containing stainless steels have been proven to be an excellent choice for various biogas production applications.

Generating electricity when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow poses a challenge for the world's transition to renewable power. A twist on a century-old technology offers an elegant solution. Pumped storage hydropower uses gravity to store massive amounts of green energy and generate electricity on demand. At Nant de Drance in the Swiss alps, molybdenum-alloyed high strength steels are crucial to keep electricity flowing.

Molybdenum metal is indispensable to several industries because of its strength at high temperatures. But some applications require complex and not so-easily-fabricated shapes. 3D printing is one approach to overcoming production issues with complicated parts, however, when produced in molybdenum metal, such parts often suffer from defects. A new process, alloying it with titanium carbide, may indicate a turning point.

To prevent the worst outcomes of climate change, renewable energy sources like wind and solar must more than triple their share of global power production. While molybdenum plays a role in several green technologies, it is particularly crucial in wind power generation. Therefore, as the demand for wind turbines increases, so will the demand for molybdenum in many of their components.

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland is one of the world's biggest and most complex scientific instruments. By smashing subatomic particles at unimaginable force, the collider generates data that could help answer some of the fundamental questions of physics and explain life and death of the cosmos. Molybdenum is instrumental in carrying out these revolutionary experiments.

When developing sustainable technologies such as renewable energy solutions and electric vehicles, power storage is as crucial as power generation. To this end, improving battery performance is an area of enormous scientific interest. Numerous studies show that molybdenum disulfide composites could play a key role in increasing batteries' electrical power, energy storage capacity, recharging speed and stability.

Type 316 stainless steel adorns the face of a new Seattle infrastructure project: an electrical substation that doubles as a public park. As cities grow and global energy demand continues to rise, the new Denny Substation is a welcome glimpse into what a future powered by accessible, sustainable infrastructure might look like.

At the ends of the earth, strange machines patrol the oceans in search of oil deposits to drill for. Meanwhile, their cousins stand tall in some of the world's gustiest seas, installing or maintinaining offshore wind turbines. Both of these highly specialized vessels, lifted up by jackup legs, brave extreme conditions on the sea to help meet our global energy demand. But constant exposure to high winds and enormous waves means 'jackups' must be made of strong materials. Molybdenum-containing steel allows these special machines to stand up to the forces of nature, while ensuring the safety of the people who work and live onboard them.

This innovative hybrid system combines photovoltaic cells with a molybdenum-containing stainless-steel heat exchanger. It produces both electricity and domestic hot water at the same time, greatly increasing the amount of solar energy extracted per square meter.

It can be difficult and time consuming for engineers to find materials properties beyond the basic ones reported in producer data sheets. This is especially true for lesser-used high-performance alloys. The new High-Performance Alloys Database addresses this problem. It contains a large number of materials properties for each of the 100 or so featured alloys, many involving molybdenum.

Nuclear power currently supplies some 11% of the world’s energy needs. Without debating its pros and cons, everyone would agree that the spent fuel already in existence from more than 50 years of generation needs safe handling and disposal. Imparting greatly increased corrosion resistance to stainless steel, molybdenum is making a positive contribution to the ongoing safety of spent fuel management throughout the world.

Clean air is a basic human need for a healthy life. Yet, advances in living standards (electricity on demand, automobiles, and consumer goods) contribute to air pollution in manufacturing, energy production, and the use of products. As scientists began to understand the connections between air pollution and industrialization, engineers developed technologies to minimize the damage. Molybdenum plays a central role in many of them.

Many of the best tool steels require molybdenum to increase hardenability and toughness, and to form hard, wear-resistant carbides in the matrix. These attributes make molybdenum-containing tool steels the industry standard.

Molybdenum heat sinks are essential to power semiconductor devices that manage the flow of electricity in electronic equipment because they prevent overheating. Molybdenum’s good thermal and electrical conductivity, combined with its low coefficient of thermal expansion, make it the ideal material for this application.

A recent study found that about one quarter of the molybdenum used each year is recycled material from scrap sources. The rest is newly mined, primary molybdenum. Scrap therefore plays an important role in meeting demand and contributing to sustainability.