Prototype of Middle-Temperature Solar Receiver/Reactor With Parabolic Trough Concentrator

Abstract

This paper manufactured an original middle-temperature solar receiver/reactor prototype, positioned along the focal line of one-axis parabolic trough concentrator, representing the development of a new kind of solar thermochemical technology. A 5kW prototype solar reactor at around 200–300°C, which is combined with a linear receiver, was originally manufactured. A basic principle of the design of the middle-temperature solar reactor is identified and described. A representative experiment of solar-driven methanol decomposition was carried out. Experimental tests were conducted from 200°C to 300°C under mean solar flux of 300–800W∕m2 and at a given methanol feeding rate of 2.1L∕h. The conversion of methanol decomposition yielded up to 50–95%, and the efficiency of solar thermal energy conversion to chemical energy reached 30–60%. The experimental results obtained here prove that the novel solar receiver/reactor prototype introduced in this paper can provide a promising approach to effectively utilize middle-temperature solar thermal energy by means of solar thermochemical processes.