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A solar methane reforming reactor design with enhanced efficiency

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  • Jin, Jian
  • Wei, Xin
  • Liu, Mingkai
  • Yu, Yuhang
  • Li, Wenjia
  • Kong, Hui
  • Hao, Yong

Abstract

We report an efficiency-enhanced solar methane reforming reactor design, featuring cutoff wavelength coating over quartz window for incident solar energy, a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) device for thermochemical performance enhancement and reticulated porous ceramics (RPC) structure of Ni/CeO2-ZrO2 used as the catalyst. A numerical model combining Monte-Carlo ray-tracing (MCRT) method with finite-element method (FEM) is established to evaluate the effectiveness of this reactor design. The simulation results show that the cutoff wavelength coating (with threshold wavelength of 2400 nm) helps to reduce 80% radiation heat loss from within the reactor at the cost of only 1% incident sunlight loss during transmission at a typical reforming temperature of 850 °C. The performance of the reactor is numerically investigated under different reaction conditions with wide ranges of temperature, solar power input and steam-to-methane ratio. Results show that ηsolar-chemical (solar-to-chemical efficiency) can reach 39.98% and 59.16% without and with 90% heat recovery, respectively, and XCH4 (methane conversion) is 83.95% at reforming temperature of 850 °C and pressure of 1 atm. The new reactor design could considerably increase the utilization efficiency of solar energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin, Jian & Wei, Xin & Liu, Mingkai & Yu, Yuhang & Li, Wenjia & Kong, Hui & Hao, Yong, 2018. "A solar methane reforming reactor design with enhanced efficiency," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 797-807.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:226:y:2018:i:c:p:797-807
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.04.098
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Liu, Taixiu & Bai, Zhang & Zheng, Zhimei & Liu, Qibin & Lei, Jing & Sui, Jun & Jin, Hongguang, 2019. "100 kWe power generation pilot plant with a solar thermochemical process: design, modeling, construction, and testing," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
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    4. Wu, Haifeng & Liu, Qibin & Xie, Gengxin & Guo, Shaopeng & Zheng, Jie & Su, Bosheng, 2020. "Performance investigation of a novel hybrid combined cooling, heating and power system with solar thermochemistry in different climate zones," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    5. Zhang, Hao & Shuai, Yong & Lougou, Bachirou Guene & Jiang, Boshu & Wang, Fuqiang & Cheng, Ziming & Tan, Heping, 2020. "Effects of multilayer porous ceramics on thermochemical energy conversion and storage efficiency in solar dry reforming of methane reactor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    6. Tang, Xin-Yuan & Zhang, Kai-Ran & Yang, Wei-Wei & Dou, Pei-Yuan, 2023. "Integrated design of solar concentrator and thermochemical reactor guided by optimal solar radiation distribution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PB).
    7. Wang, Qiushi & Duan, Liqiang & Zheng, Nan & Lu, Ziyi, 2023. "4E Analysis of a novel combined cooling, heating and power system coupled with solar thermochemical process and energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    8. Jin, Jian & Wang, Hongsheng & Shen, Yili & Shu, Ziyun & Liu, Taixiu & Li, Wenjia, 2023. "Thermodynamic analysis of methane to methanol through a two-step process driven by concentrated solar energy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    9. Gaber, Christian & Demuth, Martin & Prieler, René & Schluckner, Christoph & Schroettner, Hartmuth & Fitzek, Harald & Hochenauer, Christoph, 2019. "Experimental investigation of thermochemical regeneration using oxy-fuel exhaust gases," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 1115-1124.
    10. Hu, Tianxiang & Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Yang, Honglun & Wu, Lijun & Liu, Weixin & Wang, Qiliang & Pei, Gang, 2023. "Photothermal conversion potential of full-band solar spectrum based on beam splitting technology in concentrated solar thermal utilization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    11. Shi, Xuhang & Song, Jintao & Cheng, Ziming & Liang, Huaxu & Dong, Yan & Wang, Fuqiang & Zhang, Wenjing, 2023. "Radiative intensity regulation to match energy conversion on demand in solar methane dry reforming to improve solar to fuel conversion efficiency," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 436-446.

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