University of Colorado

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Midwest Research Institute

Willy Grothe

Alan W Weimer

Allan A Lewandowski

Carl E Bingham

Jaimee K Dahl

Karen J Raska Buechler

Theodore W Randolph

Corinne Lengsfeld

Daniel Jarmer

In an embodiment, a method of conducting a high temperature chemical reaction that produces hydrogen or synthesis gas is described. The high temperature chemical reaction is conducted in a reactor having at least two reactor shells, including an inner shell and an outer shell. Heat absorbing particles are included in a gas stream flowing in the inner shell. The reactor is heated at least in part by a source of concentrated sunlight. The inner shell is heated by the concentrated sunlight. The inner shell re-radiates from the inner wall and heats the heat absorbing particles in the gas stream flowing through the inner shell, and heat transfers from the heat absorbing particles to the first gas stream, thereby heating the reactants in the gas stream to a sufficiently high temperature so that the first gas stream undergoes the desired reaction(s), thereby producing hydrogen or synthesis gas in the gas stream.

Solar-thermal reaction processing

The present invention provides methods and devices for producing particles with an average diameter less than about 15 &#x3bc;m using the precipitation with compressed fluid-antisolvent (PCA) process and the carbon-dioxide assisted nebulization with a bubble dryer (CAN-BD) process. In the methods and nozzles of the invention, at least one jet of supercritical or near-supercritical fluid and at least one jet of solution interact to mix the supercritical or near-supercritical fluid and the solution within a chamber. The solution contains at least one solvent and at least one solute. At least one of the jets is a swirling jet. To form particles, the solvent and supercritical or near-supercritical fluid are then injected into a PCA or a CAN-BD process chamber. The degree of mixing depends in part on the power input into the mixing chamber. Power inputs of about 6.5&#xd7;10W/menhance the degree of mixing and allow production of nanoscale particles with the PCA process. The nanoscale particles have a size distribution so that polydispersity is less than about 1.75.

Devices and methods for the production of particles

The present invention provides a method for carrying out high temperature thermal dissociation reactions requiring rapid-heating and short residence times using solar energy. In particular, the present invention provides a method for carrying out high temperature thermal reactions such as dissociation of hydrocarbon containing gases and hydrogen sulfide to produce hydrogen and dry reforming of hydrocarbon containing gases with carbon dioxide. In the methods of the invention where hydrocarbon containing gases are dissociated, fine carbon black particles are also produced. The present invention also provides solar-thermal reactors and solar-thermal reactor systems.

Solar-thermal fluid-wall reaction processing

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Willy Grothe