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

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.