What type of oil can be use to be heated up by solar energy enclosed in a vessel and in turn heat up water?

Question

What type of oil can be use to be heated up by solar energy enclosed in a vessel and in turn heat up water?

Answer 1

I am more intrigued by how you plan to get solar energy enclosed in a vessel.

Answer 2

hidraulic oil

Answer 3

Water itself is a better heat transfer and storage medium than any oil.  If you are insistent on using oil, use a mineral oil so that a leak will not immediately poison you.

Answer 4

why dont use water directly ,and form superheated steam,that in turn can be used to heat water.for heat transfer oil is not good conductor.

Answer 5

probably any type of oil, cottonseed oil is one. cheaper the better, organic oil is good in case of spill, high smoking point or higher temperature at which it polymerizes, but all oils have good heat capacities. That's why if some hot oil splashes on you from a stove, it hurts like h**l. Not only is it at a higher temperature than boiling water, oil's heat capacity is higher than water so it releases more heat for the same droplet size.

Some solar stations use molten salts as the heat transfer medium. the salts have good heat capacity and can hold heat for quite some time, much longer than oil.

I had to go back and add this. Water has a lower boiling point and the heat capacity is smaller. That's why water isn't always used. When water turns to steam, it's volume increases. It could be used to turn turbines so you need a system that can exhaust the steam. Oil would allow a closed loop, but it's usually used to heat up water on the other end