Materials and Engineering related Aspects of Solar Thermochemical Processes
Event details
| Date | 08.03.2018 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:15 |
| Speaker | Martin Roeb, German Aerospace Center, Institute of Solar Research, Koeln, Germany Bio : Martin Roeb is a researcher, project coordinator, and team leader at DLR Köln, in the Solar Research group. His research focuses on solar generation and upgrading of fuels – in particular hydrogen and syngas – using high temperature processes like thermochemical cycles, high temperature electrolysis, steam and dry reforming of hydrocarbons, or cracking of hydrocarbons. Research interests also include solar treatment of residues and wastes, solar recycling, solar smelting, solar production of mass and fine chemicals, solar reduction von metal oxides, and solar processing of ores. He received his diploma (1993) and PhD with distinction (1997) from University of Köln. Between 1998 and 1999, he was a researcher at University of Stuttgart. He has published over 110 articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He received the Eco Tech Award 2005, Technical Achievement Award of the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (2006), and the Descartes Research Prize 2006 of the EU. |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract : Thermochemical reactions play in essential role in a number of processes for solar energy conversion to store energy or to use it for the production of commodities and fuels. Such reactions can be used to enhance the availability of solar energy in terms of energy transport, of energy demand/supply management and of potential energy related applications. Suitable sequences of endothermal and exothermal thermochemical reaction enable the production of fuels like hydrogen or syngas and other fuels by water- and CO2-splitting as well as the storage of solar energy by breaking and forming chemical bonds in suitable reversible reactions. The most prominent cycles are based on the use of either multivalent metal oxides or sulfur oxides. The energy source for the endothermal steps is concentrated solar radiation. The concentrated solar energy is converted into storable and transportable chemicals and fuels. If the oxidation step of the cycle is carried out with air instead of water/CO2 the sequence of redox reactions can be applied for air separation opening pathways to solar oxygen and nitrogen production and from there further on to ammonia and fertilizer production. One of the major barriers to technological success of many of those processes is the identification of suitable materials, mainly redox materials or catalysts, exhibiting satisfactory durability, (re)activity and efficiencies. Besides materials aspects also process engineering issues needs to be overcome. Challenges are to couple an intermittent energy source to a chemical process and to efficiently recover high temperature heat. The most promising processes and the main applications are being described and discussed with respect to further development and future potential. Technical approaches and development progress in terms of solving them are addressed and assessed.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
Contact
- Prof. Sophia Haussener