Search Results for: solar reactors

Published at Next Energy – Direct solar-driven thermochemical CO2-to-fuel conversion with efficiency over 39 % employing hierarchical triply periodic minimal surfaces biomimetic foam reactors

Posted onAuthor

Abstract: Solar-driven CO2 reforming of CH4 is considered a promising approach for achieving CO2 emission reduction and clean energy utilization simultaneously. However, reactors suffer from uneven temperature distribution and severe carbon deposition, leading to low solar-to-fuel efficiency. This study introduces a novel strategy for highly Read More …

Published at Applied Catalysis – Structured sulphur trioxide splitting catalytic systems and allothermally-heated reactors for the implementation of Sulphur-based thermochemical cycles via a centrifugal solar particle receiver

Posted onAuthor

Abstract: Catalytic sulphur trioxide splitting is the highest-temperature (850–900 °C), endothermic step of several sulphur-based thermochemical cycles targeted to production of hydrogen or solid sulphur. The demonstrated capability of centrifugal particle solar receivers of heating particle streams at such temperatures, can allow for “allothermal” implementation of Read More …

Published at Solar Compass – Pathways to the use of concentrated solar heat for high temperature industrial processes

Posted onAuthor

Pathways to the use of concentrated solar heat for high temperature industrial processes

Abstract: New analysis is presented identifying strong potential for Concentrating Solar Thermal technology (CST) to be a cost-effective contributor to future sources of net zero-emissions, high temperature industrial process heat relative to other emerging options. Nevertheless, significant further development of the technology is needed to Read More …

Published at Energy – Performance analysis of a light uniform device for the solar receiver or reactor

Posted onAuthor

Abstract: Solar receivers and reactors are critical equipment to convert high-flux solar energy into thermal and chemical energy. However, the high flux solar energy is highly uneven and may shorten the solar receiver and reactor life due to considerable fatigue strain. This paper proposes a Read More …

Published at Energy Storage and Saving – Design of a multi-inlet solar thermochemical reactor for steam methane reforming with improved performance

Posted onAuthor

Design of a multi-inlet solar thermochemical reactor for steam methane reforming with improved performance

Abstract: Reactor structure design plays an important role in the performance of solar-thermal methane reforming reactors. Based on a conventional preheating reactor, this study proposed a cylindrical solar methane reforming reactor with multiple inlets to vary the temperature field distribution, which improved the temperature of Read More …

Computational fluid dynamics study of hydrogen production using concentrated solar radiation as a heat source

Posted onAuthor

Computational fluid dynamics study of hydrogen production using concentrated solar radiation as a heat source

Published in the January Issue of Energy Conversion and Management Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study the performance of the steam methane reformer (SMR) using solar energy as a heat source using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. An analysis of the Read More …

SolarPACES Ex-Co elects Gilles Flamant and Wes Stein as next Chair and Vice Chair

Posted onAuthor

At the 101st Ex-Co meeting held October 4th, 2021, PROMES-CNRS Research Director Gilles Flamant was elected as new Chair of the SolarPACES Executive Committee for the next 4-year term. Flamant is an internationally recognized expert in solar thermochemistry who holds 10 patents, has authored or co-authored approximately Read More …

Making Solar Hydrogen with a Side of Carbon Nanotubes

Posted onAuthor

Two teams of solar researchers have developed a novel solar reactor and thermochemical process for making solar hydrogen that can generate in addition carbon black and graphite as well as carbon nanotubes. Working over a six-year period, the teams first developed the specific solar reactor, Read More …

Capabilities of Each of the Solar Fuels Research Institutions

Capabilities of Each of the Solar Fuels Research Institutions

NATION; CITY INSTITUTE ITEM: 2020 STATUS DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION CONTACT Australia; Canberra ANU High-Flux Solar Simulator 18×Xe lamps, focal heat 15 kWth with approx 10,000 suns. Lab is equipped with gas supplies. Professor Wojciech Lipinski Australia; Canberra ANU Little Dish 20 m² dish concentrator, with peak CR Read More …

Add Hydrogen Combustion to a Solar Reactor for Carbon-Free Mining and Mineral Processing

Posted onAuthor

Iron, nickel, alumina and copper mining processes are among the industrial processes that require heat at between 700°C and 1000°C. The advanced concentrated solar thermal (CST)reactors being developed by researchers globally can attain temperatures this high (and higher, up to 1500°C). But CEOs in mining Read More …

Designing Solar Furnaces to Make Biochars without Air Pollution

Posted onAuthor

Charcoal might seem like a very low tech product, but lithium batteries, water filtration and super-capacitors are among its high tech end uses, and the requirements for these different purposes are actually very exacting. Solar researchers in Mexico are investigating the various temperatures and the Read More …

Solar Fuels from Concentrated Sunlight

Solar Fuels from Concentrated Sunlight Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems Implementing Agreement of the International Energy Agency 2 Solar Fuels from Concentrated Sunlight Contents 4 Executive Summary 6 Intermittent Solar Energy – Need for Storage 6 Why solar fuels? 8 Why solar hydrogen? 9 Read More …

IEA Technology Roadmap – Solar Thermal Electricity 2014

Secure Sustainable Together 2035 2040 2045 2050 Technology Roadmap Solar Thermal Electricity 2014 edition E nerg y Technolog y Persp ective s INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY The International Energy Agency (IEA), an autonomous agency, was established in November 1974. Its primary mandate was – and is Read More …

SolarPACES Annual Report 2015 Task II: Solar Chemistry Research

SOLARPACES TASK II 4.1 4 Task II: Solar Chemistry Research Operating Agent: Anton Meier, PSI, Switzerland (until July 31, 2016) Philipp Furler, ETHZ, Switzerland (from August 1, 2016) National Coordinators: • Robbie McNaughton, CSIRO, Australia • Liejin Guo, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China • Gilles Flamant, Read More …

How Concentrated Solar Power Works

How Concentrated Solar Power Works

All concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies use a mirror configuration to concentrate the sun’s light energy onto a receiver and convert it into heat. The heat can then be used to create steam to drive a turbine to produce electrical power or used as industrial Read More …

These 25 Advanced CSP & CST Technologies to Share $33 Million US DOE Funding

Posted onAuthor

The Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2021 Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Funding Program (SETO FY21 PV and CSP) funds research and development projects that advance PV and CSP to help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector. On October 12, 2021, SETO announced that 40 projects were awarded $40 million. Twenty-five of those projects will Read More …

New DOE Funding for CSP: Webinar April 12

Posted onAuthor

Description On March 25, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) Fiscal Year 2021 Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power (FY21 PV and CSP) funding program, which will provide $39.5 million for projects that will advance solar PV and CSP research and Read More …

How CSP Works: Tower, Trough, Fresnel or Dish

Posted onAuthor

In solar thermal energy, all concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies use solar thermal energy from sunlight to make power. A solar field of mirrors concentrates the sun’s energy onto a receiver that traps the heat and stores it in thermal energy storage till needed to Read More …

Current Job Openings in CSP Research and on CSP Projects

September 2023 Manager, Solar Thermal Testing and Demonstration We are seeking a highly motivated manager to lead the Solar Thermal Testing & Demonstration Department within the Renewable Energy Technologies Group (Org 8920). The Group conducts fundamental and applied R&D to improve performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness Read More …

Published at Chemical Engineering Journal – Green ammonia to Hydrogen: Reduction and oxidation catalytic processes

Posted onAuthor

Abstract: Green ammonia, produced at ambient conditions, has received significant attention as a carrier of hydrogen for energy storage and transport. Reduction and oxidation catalytic decomposition of ammonia at atmospheric pressure and low temperatures suggests remarkable achievements over thermochemical processes requiring elevated pressures and temperatures. Read More …

US DOE announces $135 million industrial decarbonization awards

Posted onAuthor

40 Projects Across 21 States Will Advance Technologies to Decarbonize American Industry and Help Create Good-Paying Jobs WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $135 million for 40 projects that will reduce carbon pollution from the industrial sector and move the nation Read More …

Research Reports

Research Reports

End of Term Report 2016   Introduction and Overview: The SolarPACES TCP focusses on concentrating solar thermal technologies, following the vision to achieve a significant contribution of these technologies to the delivery of clean, sustainable energy worldwide. Their specific value for the global future power Read More …

Decolorization of Dye Polluted Water by Photochemical Processes

Posted onAuthor

Decolorization of Dye Polluted Water by Photochemical Processes

Participants: Centro de Investigación en Energía de la Univ. Nacional de México (CIE-UNAM) (MEX) Contact: Antonio E. Jiménez González (ajg@cie.unam.mx) Camilo A. Arancibia-Bulnes (caab@cie.unam.mx) Funding: CONACYT, PAPIIT-UNAM Duration: continuing Background: For more than a decade researchers at CIE-UNAM have been investigating the degradation of water Read More …

End of Term Report 2016

End of Term Report 2016

Introduction and Overview: The SolarPACES TCP focusses on concentrating solar thermal technologies, following the vision to achieve a significant contribution of these technologies to the delivery of clean, sustainable energy worldwide. Their specific value for the global future power market comes from the ability to Read More …