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

Abstract

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.