Solar fuels production as a sustainable alternative for substituting fossil fuels: COSOLπ project

R. Hernando Romero-Paredes, Juan José Alvarado-Gil, Camilo Alberto Arancibia-Bulnes, Víctor Hugo Ramos-Sánchez, Heidi Isabel Villafán-Vidales, Gilberto Espinosa-Paredes, Stéphane Abanades

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This article presents, in summary form, the characteristics of COSOLπ development project and some of the results obtained to date. The benefits of the work of this project will include the generation of a not polluting transportable energy feedstock from a free, abundant and available primary energy source, in an efficient method with no greenhouse gas emission. This will help to ensure energy surety to a future transportation/energy infrastructure, without any fuel import. Further technological development of thermochemical production of clean fuels, together with solar reactors and also with the possibility of determining the optical and thermal properties of the materials involved a milestone in the search for new processes for industrialization. With the above in mind, important national academic institutions: UAM, UNAM, CINVESTAV, UACH, UNISON among others, have been promoting research in solar energy technologies. The Goals and objectives are to conduct research and technological development driving high-temperature thermochemical processes using concentrated solar radiation as thermal energy source for the future sustainable development of industrial processes. It focuses on the production of clean fuels such as H2, syngas, biofuels, without excluding the re-value of materials used in the industry. This project conducts theoretical and experimental studies for the identification, characterization, and optimization of the most promising thermochemical cycles, and for the thorough investigation of the reactive chemical systems. It applies material science and nano-engineering to improve chemicals properties and stability upon cycling. The characterization of materials will serve to measure the chemical composition and purity (MOX fraction-1) of each of the samples. The characterizations also focus on the solid particle morphology (shape, size, state of aggregation, homogeneity, specific surface) images obtained from SEM / TEM and BET measurements. Likewise will the thermal and optical characterization of the influence that these parameters represent in the solar reactor. The experimental and theoretical results obtained for each redox system will be compared and analyzed to determine the cycle with the highest potential. Advances on simulation, design, construction and experimentation on solar reactors to conduct thermochemical splitting water reactions are presented.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSolarPACES 2016
Subtitle of host publicationInternational Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems
PublisherAmerican Institute of Physics Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9780735415225
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 27 2017
Externally publishedYes
Event22nd International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, SolarPACES 2016 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Duration: Oct 11 2016Oct 14 2016

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume1850
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Conference

Conference22nd International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, SolarPACES 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited Arab Emirates
CityAbu Dhabi
Period10/11/1610/14/16

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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