Catalytic thermochemical reactor/receiver for solar reforming of natural gas: Design and performance

Abstract

The advantages of thermochemical conversion of concentrated solar energy using catalytic processes are discussed. The design of a solar volumetric thermochemical reactor/receiver (TCRR) with catalytic absorber, method for synthesis of catalytically activated ceramics, and preparation of catalytic absorber have been described. The prototype TCRR was tested in the high flux solar furnace at the DAC, Cologne by using the dioxide reforming of methane. The tests were performed to check the main concept of the TCRR design and catalytic absorber, to study the influence of solar flux distribution, the reagent flows and their ratio on the productivity or conversion, determine the reagent's conversion depending on the focal point disposition with respect to the absorber, and to study the efficiency of the thermochemical conversion. The chemical and total efficiencies of the CO2–methane conversion were calculated using the experimentally measured concentrations of the reaction products. The highest overall efficiency achieved in these experiments was 30% with the Ni–Cr catalytic absorber.