Session: 17-01: Poster Presentations

Paper Number: 169890

169890 - Indoor Solar Simulator for Producing Solar Fuels 

Abstract: 

In the context of the energy transition, solar energy has gained significant prominence
due to its widespread availability. Among its various applications, concentrated solar
power (CSP) has undergone substantial advancements, enabling the achievement of
high temperatures and thermal flow control. CSP technologies that have a focal point
require reactors capable of converting solar radiation into chemical or thermal energy.
Among the different types of reactors used in CSP applications, those designed based
on the black body concept are particularly effective. These reactors are engineered to
absorb all incident radiation. Additionally, they must be capable of withstanding
extremely high temperatures, resist thermal shock, and maintain high chemical
inertness to allow chemical reactions. This study aims to design and construct a
thermochemical reactor based on the black body cavity concept for the production of
syngas (CO + H₂). A literature review was conducted on various cavity geometries
powered by concentrated solar energy. The next step involved determining the
optimal cavity dimensions, adapting them to the structural and operational constraints
imposed by the high-flux solar simulator (HFSS) available at the SISEA/USP laboratory.
Once the dimensions were defined, CAD software was used to create a reactor cavity
design. Additionally, simulations using the Tonatiuh software were performed to
analyze the thermal distribution inside the cavity and to calculate the equilibrium
temperature under operational conditions. The reactor cavity was designed to be
flexible, allowing the production of hydrogen (H₂) through various thermochemical
processes, such as the steam reforming of natural gas and the oxidation-reduction
cycles of metallic materials. To enhance the optical efficiency of the system, a
secondary concentrator was also designed and analyzed at the cavity entrance. The
selected compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) was fixed at the reactor’s inlet,
improving the solar concentration efficiency while preserving the black body cavity
principle. Furthermore, material selection was made to ensure that the cavity can
withstand reaction temperatures of up to 900°C.

Presenting Author: Jose R. Simoes-Moreira Universidade De Sao Paulo

Presenting Author Biography: Mechanical Engineer graduated from Escola Politécnica at the University of São Paulo (Brazil, 1983), Master in Mechanical Engineering from the same institution (1989), PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, (USA, 1994). He was a visiting scholar in the Mechanical Eng. Dept. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1999). He was a visiting professor at the University Nacional of Engineering (UNI) in Lima (Peru) in 2002 and a visiting professor at INSA- Lyon (2009) for a short term. He has research experience in the following areas: liquid flashing and evaporation waves, natural gas usage, ammonia-water absorption refrigeration cycle, Ranque-Hilsh vortex tube, cogeneration processes, concentrated solar energy, and CO2 separation from gases by supersonic technique. His teaching experience at undergraduate and graduate levels includes Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Compressible Fluid Flow, Solar Energy, and Thermal Machines. He has coordinated several extension courses on Natural Gas, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Thermoelectric Power Plants, and Renewable Energies. Presently, he has ongoing projects with oil and gas companies and Brazilian funding agencies. He has authored over 150 scientific and technical papers in referenced scientific journals, besides a book entitled Fundamentals and Applications of Psychrometry (2019, in Portuguese). He has several chapters and edited the 3rd edition of a book entitled Renewable Energy, Distributed Energy and Energy Efficiency (2024, LTC-GEN, in Portuguese). Heat Transfer in Engineering (2023, LTC-GEN, in Portuguese), and finally, an in-press book entitled Heat Transfer – An Engineering Course with Springer. He is also the coordinator of SISEA – Renewable and Alternative Energy Systems Lab. at Escola Politécnica. He coordinates a Continuing Education course entitled Renewable Energy Source, Distributed Energy, and Energy Efficiency focused on engineering and technology professionals. He is a full professor of Mechanical Engineering focusing on Energy and Thermal Engineering at Escola Politécnica.