Solar Fuels: Specific Requirements for Solar Concentrator Systems

Abstract

The production of fuels by concentrated solar radiation is an option for efficient large scale processes. The radiation can either be used to replace fossil fuels for heating established processes like steam or dry reforming of methane. Or at higher temperature to drive thermochemical cycles for water or CO2 splitting into hydrogen, oxygen and CO. Presently most of the technologies are developed with high flux solar simulators. However some scale-up demonstrations on solar towers have been operated. The concentrator systems, mainly heliostat fields, are similar to installations for power production. However the chemical reactions require a different heating regime. Therefore a special optics and control systems have to be developed to achieve the very high temperatures necessary to carry out thermochemical cycles constantly and homogeneously in the whole solar receiver. The presentation will give an overview of the concentrating solar fuel production processes. It will give insight in how to design the required heliostat fields, secondary optics, and control systems.