Receiver/Reactor Concepts for Thermochemical Transport of Solar Energy

R. B. Diver

doi:10.1115/1.3268206

Receiver/Reactor Concepts for Thermochemical Transport of Solar Energy

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.3268206 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 109 (3) ◽

pp. 199-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

R. B. Diver

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Tubular Reactor ◽

Chemical Reactor ◽

Reactor Design ◽

Heat Transfer Fluid ◽

Receiver Design ◽

Pipe Network ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Reactor Types ◽

Solar Receiver

Thermochemical transport of solar energy based on reversible chemical reactions may be a way to take advantage of the high-temperature capabilities of parabolic dishes, while minimizing pipe network heat loss, since energy is transported at ambient temperatures in chemical form. Receiver/Reactor design is a key to making thermochemical transport a reality. In this paper the important parameters for solar receiver and chemical reactor design and how they relate to each other are presented. Three basic receiver/reactor types, applicable to thermochemical receiver design, are identified: (1) Tube Receiver/Reactors have tubular reactor elements which are directly heated by solar energy in the receiver. (2) Indirect Receiver/Reactors use an intermediate heat transfer fluid between the receiver and reactor. (3) Direct Absorption Receiver/Reactors absorb sunlight directly on the reactor catalyst. Advantages, limitations, and risks associated with each design are discussed and examples of those that have been built are given. Each type offers its own set of advantages and risks, and warrant further investigation.

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Experimental investigation of the receiver of a solar thermal dish collector with a dual layer, staggered tube arrangement, and multiscale diameter

Energy Exploration & Exploitation ◽

10.1177/0144598719900658 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (4) ◽

pp. 1212-1227

Author(s):

Ra'ad K Mohammed Al Dulaimi

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Single Layer ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Heat Transfer Fluid ◽

Model Base ◽

Surface Areas ◽

Circular Pipes ◽

Staggered Arrangement ◽

Plain Tube ◽

Solar Receiver

A new experimental model is proposed and tested to enhance the ability of receivers of solar thermal dish collectors in absorbing solar energy. An innovative model consisting of a dual layer, staggered arrangement, and multiscale diameter tubes is established. The enhancement augments the capability of the solar receiver of the collector to transform solar energy to thermal energy within the heat transfer fluid. The new design depends on the exploitation of the dead regions of the solar receiver, that is, surfaces with weak solar energy absorption which include the space between the pipes and the terminal sides of the pipes. The surface areas of the circular pipes in these regions are almost parallel to the solar energy radiation, which leads to a reduction in the ability of the tube to absorb solar energy. The design was validated through five receiver ([Formula: see text]) models for solar thermal dish collectors, in addition to the model base (which has single layer). Each model consists of a two-layer staggered arrangement and tubes with four different staggered diameter ratios [Formula: see text] between the two layers. Each of them has an octagonal shape and consists of three serial paths of copper tubes; each path consists of a bank of parallel tubes. The results show a noteworthy increase in the ability of the receiver to absorb solar energy and greater with model ([Formula: see text]) which [Formula: see text]equal (0.269) than for a plain tube collector. The enhancement leads to an increase in the thermal efficiency [Formula: see text]and exergetic performance [Formula: see text], that equal (78.8%) and (19.8%) respectively at (0.07 kg/s). Furthermore, the pressure difference, and efficiency evaluation criterion was estimated to evaluate dish collector receivers.

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A Small Concentrating Solar Power Tower System

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.575.640 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 575 ◽

pp. 640-643 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nidal H. Abu-Hamdeh ◽

Khaled A. Alnefaie

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Storage Tank ◽

Heat Transfer Fluid ◽

Small Scale ◽

Direct Irradiation ◽

King Abdulaziz University ◽

Solar Power Tower ◽

Solar Receiver ◽

Very High ◽

Tower System

A small scale prototype of functional R&D solar tower system (about 10 kW) to gather solar energy and store it in a molten salt tank will be designed, developed and built. The prototype tower system will be built at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where direct irradiation is very high. Collectors of large mirrors (called heliostats) will be used to track the incident sunrays. The heliostats focus the energy flow towards solar receivers, where energy is transferred to a working thermal fluid. The proposed system consists of several heliostats directing incident solar rays to a tower of height about 20 meters. A solar receiver will be installed at the top of the tower to collect solar energy reflected from the heliostats. The heat transfer fluid (HTF) re-circulated in the receiver transfers the collected heat in the receiver to a storage tank. The storage tank contains molten salts.

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Analysis of Solar Receiver Performance for Chemical-Looping Integration With a Concentrating Solar Thermal System

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4042058 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 141 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhiwen Ma ◽

Janna Martinek

Keyword(s):

Energy Storage ◽

Solar Energy ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Chemical Looping ◽

Receiver Design ◽

Peak Shaving ◽

Thermochemical Processes ◽

Solar Receiver

This paper introduces a chemical-looping configuration integrated with a concentrating solar thermal (CST) system. The CST system uses an array of mirrors to focus sunlight, and the concentrated solar flux is applied to a solar receiver to collect and convert solar energy into thermal energy. The thermal energy then drives a thermal power cycle for electricity generation or provides an energy source to chemical processes for material or fuel production. Considerable interest in CST energy systems has been driven by power generation, with its capability to store thermal energy for continuous electricity supply or peak shaving. However, CST systems have other potential to convert solar energy into fuel or to support thermochemical processes. Thus, we introduce the concept of a chemical-looping configuration integrated with the CST system that has potential applications for thermochemical energy storage or solar thermochemical hydrogen production. The chemical-looping configuration integrated with a CST system consists of the following: a solar-receiver reactor for solar-energy collection and conversion, thermochemical energy storage, a reverse reactor for energy release, and system circulation. We describe a high-temperature reactor receiver that is a key component in the chemical-looping system. We also show the solar-receiver design and its performance analyzed by solar-tracing and thermal-modeling methods for integration within a CST system.

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Incorporation of statistical distributions of particle properties in chemical reactor design and operation: the cooled tubular reactor

Chemical Engineering Science ◽

10.1016/0009-2509(92)80306-w ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 1881-1895 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R.J. Wijngaarden ◽

K.R. Westerterp

Keyword(s):

Tubular Reactor ◽

Chemical Reactor ◽

Reactor Design ◽

Statistical Distributions ◽

Particle Properties

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Analysis of Solar Receiver Performance for Chemical-Looping Integration With a Concentrating Solar Thermal System

ASME 2018 12th International Conference on Energy Sustainability ◽

10.1115/es2018-7185 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Zhiwen Ma ◽

Janna Martinek

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Chemical Looping ◽

Receiver Design ◽

Peak Shaving ◽

Thermochemical Processes ◽

Solar Thermochemical ◽

Solar Receiver

This paper introduces a chemical-looping configuration integrated with a concentrating solar thermal (CST) system. The CST system uses an array of mirrors to focus sunlight, and the concentrated solar flux is applied onto a solar receiver to collect and convert solar energy into thermal energy. The thermal energy then drives a thermal power cycle for electricity generation or provides an energy source to chemical processes for material or fuel production. Considerable interest in CST has been driven by power generation with its capability to store thermal energy for continuous electricity supply or peak shaving. However, CST systems have other potential to convert solar energy into fuel or support thermochemical processes. The chemical-looping configuration integrated with the CST system can be a platform for implementing various solar-thermochemical processes. The chemical-looping configuration integrated with a CST system has potential applications for thermochemical energy storage and solar thermochemical hydrogen production. To use the solar energy efficiently and effectively, a high-temperature reactor receiver is a key component in the chemical-looping system. This paper shows a novel planar-cavity receiver design and its performance analyzed by solar-tracing and thermal-modeling methods for solar integration in a CST system.

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Conceptual design of porous volumetric solar receiver using molten salt as heat transfer fluid

Applied Energy ◽

10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.117400 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 301 ◽

pp. 117400

Author(s):

Shen Du ◽

Ming-Jia Li ◽

Ya-Ling He ◽

Sheng Shen

Keyword(s):

Heat Transfer ◽

Molten Salt ◽

Conceptual Design ◽

Heat Transfer Fluid ◽

Solar Receiver

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Chemical reactor design and operation. VonK. R. Westerterp, W. P. M. van SwaaijundA. A. C. M. Beenackers. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester 1984. XXXII, 767 S., zahlr. Abb. u. Tab., geb., £ 49,50

Chemie Ingenieur Technik ◽

10.1002/cite.330570613 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 57 (6) ◽

pp. 531-531

Author(s):

G. Eigenberger

Keyword(s):

Chemical Reactor ◽

Reactor Design

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Transient Three-Dimensional Heat Transfer Model of a Solar Thermochemical Reactor for H2O and CO2 Splitting via Nonstoichiometric Ceria Redox Cycling

ASME 2013 7th International Conference on Energy Sustainability ◽

10.1115/es2013-18040 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Justin Lapp ◽

Wojciech Lipiński

Keyword(s):

Heat Transfer ◽

Heat Recovery ◽

Fuel Efficiency ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Reactor Design ◽

Heat Transfer Model ◽

Heat Fluxes ◽

Transfer Model ◽

Rotating Cylinders ◽

Solar Receiver

A transient heat transfer model is developed for a solar reactor prototype for H2O and CO2 splitting via two-step non-stoichiometric ceria cycling. Counter-rotating cylinders of reactive and inert materials cycling between high and low temperature zones permit continuous operation and heat recovery. To guide the reactor design a transient three-dimensional heat transfer model is developed based on transient energy conservation, accounting for conduction, convection, radiation, and chemical reactions. The model domain includes the rotating cylinders, a solar receiver cavity, and insulated reactor body. Radiative heat transfer is analyzed using a combination of the Monte Carlo method, Rosseland diffusion approximation, and the net radiation method. Quasi-steady state distributions of temperatures, heat fluxes, and the non-stoichiometric coefficient are reported. Ceria cycles between temperatures of 1708 K and 1376 K. A heat recovery effectiveness of 28% and solar-to-fuel efficiency of 5.2% are predicted for an unoptimized reactor design.

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