A prototype 4 kW solar thermochemical reactor for the continuous splitting of carbon dioxide via the isothermal ceria redox cycle is demonstrated. These first tests of the new reactor showcase both the innovation of continuous on-sun fuel production in a single reactor and remarkably effective heat recovery of the sensible heat of the reactant and product gases. The impact of selection of gas flow rates is explored with respect to reactor fuel productivity and external energy costs of gas separation and pumping. Thermal impacts of gas flow selection are explored by coupling measured temperatures with a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to calculate internal temperature distributions and estimate heat recovery. Optimized gas flows selected for operation provide a 75% increase in fuel productivity and reduction in parasitic energy costs by 10% with respect to the design case.
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February 2016
Research-Article
Effect of Flow Rates on Operation of a Solar Thermochemical Reactor for Splitting CO2 Via the Isothermal Ceria Redox Cycle
Brandon J. Hathaway,
Brandon J. Hathaway
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: hatha050@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: hatha050@umn.edu
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Rohini Bala Chandran,
Rohini Bala Chandran
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: bala0137@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: bala0137@umn.edu
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Stephen Sedler,
Stephen Sedler
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: sedl0033@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: sedl0033@umn.edu
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Daniel Thomas,
Daniel Thomas
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: dthomas@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: dthomas@umn.edu
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Adam Gladen,
Adam Gladen
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: glad0092@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: glad0092@umn.edu
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Thomas Chase,
Thomas Chase
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: trchase@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: trchase@umn.edu
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Jane H. Davidson
Jane H. Davidson
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: jhd@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: jhd@umn.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Brandon J. Hathaway
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: hatha050@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: hatha050@umn.edu
Rohini Bala Chandran
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: bala0137@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: bala0137@umn.edu
Stephen Sedler
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: sedl0033@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: sedl0033@umn.edu
Daniel Thomas
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: dthomas@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: dthomas@umn.edu
Adam Gladen
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: glad0092@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: glad0092@umn.edu
Thomas Chase
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: trchase@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: trchase@umn.edu
Jane H. Davidson
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: jhd@umn.edu
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
e-mail: jhd@umn.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received July 29, 2015; final manuscript received October 26, 2015; published online December 8, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Prof. Nesrin Ozalp.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Feb 2016, 138(1): 011007 (12 pages)
Published Online: December 8, 2015
Article history
Received:
July 29, 2015
Revised:
October 26, 2015
Citation
Hathaway, B. J., Bala Chandran, R., Sedler, S., Thomas, D., Gladen, A., Chase, T., and Davidson, J. H. (December 8, 2015). "Effect of Flow Rates on Operation of a Solar Thermochemical Reactor for Splitting CO2 Via the Isothermal Ceria Redox Cycle." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. February 2016; 138(1): 011007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4032019
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