Concentrated Solar Energy for Thermochemically Producing Liquid Fuels from CO2 and H2O

This study explores a two-step solar thermochemical cycle for producing syngas from H2O and CO2 using Zn/ZnO redox reactions. The objective was to investigate an efficient method for generating liquid fuels by harnessing concentrated solar energy. Methodologically, the first step involves the thermolysis of ZnO to Zn and O2 using concentrated solar radiation, while the second step is an exothermic reaction of Zn with H2O and CO2 to produce high-quality syngas. The results indicate that this process, conducted in laboratory-scale reactor prototypes, successfully demonstrates the potential for sustainable energy by producing syngas through solar thermochemical cycles. Specifically, the solar thermolysis was achieved with a 10 kW reactor, and subsequent reactions were conducted in a packed-bed reactor designed to optimize reactor performance. The findings contribute to the validation of heat/mass transfer models and are expected to inform future optimization and scale-up of these technologies for liquid fuel production. The completion of this research reinforces the viability of using solar energy and thermochemical reactions to support the energy transition towards more sustainable practices.