Modelling, Experimentation and Scaling of Solar Fuel Processing Devices
Event details
| Date | 26.04.2018 |
| Hour | 10:30 › 11:30 |
| Speaker |
Sophia Haussener Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering EPFL Lausanne |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
ChE-605 - Highlights in Energy Research seminar series
Solar radiation is the most abundant energy source available but it is distributed and intermittent, thereby necessitating its storage via conversion to a fuel (e.g. hydrogen or carbohydrates) for practical use. Solar thermo-chemical and photo-electro-chemical approaches (and combinations thereof) provide viable routes for the direct synthesis of solar fuels. Both approaches involve complex interactions between multi-mode heat transfer, multiphase flow, charge transfer, and chemical reaction.
First, I focus on cost competitive photo-electrochemical (PEC) devices. I review the development of our PEC model framework1. I then show how we used this model to design and implement a PEC device with a solar-to-fuel efficiency of 17%. Finally, I discuss ongoing scaling approaches by our lab for the design, implementation, and testing of these devices, in order to bridge the gap between research and practical application.
Second, I discuss our work on high-temperature electrolysis for the production of fuels. I review the techno-economic modeling, as well as receiver-reactor modeling2 followed by experimental demonstration of the approach and an outlook on a more integrated solar-driven thermo-electrochemical hydrogen generation.
I finish by comparing the various solar fuel generation pathways and compare the challenges and future pathways of the different, complementing processing routes.
References:
1. S. Y. Tembhurne and S. Haussener, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 163:H1008-H1018, 2016.
2. M. Lin, J. Reinhold, N. Monnerie, and S. Haussener, Applied Energy, 216: 761-776, 2018.
Solar radiation is the most abundant energy source available but it is distributed and intermittent, thereby necessitating its storage via conversion to a fuel (e.g. hydrogen or carbohydrates) for practical use. Solar thermo-chemical and photo-electro-chemical approaches (and combinations thereof) provide viable routes for the direct synthesis of solar fuels. Both approaches involve complex interactions between multi-mode heat transfer, multiphase flow, charge transfer, and chemical reaction.
First, I focus on cost competitive photo-electrochemical (PEC) devices. I review the development of our PEC model framework1. I then show how we used this model to design and implement a PEC device with a solar-to-fuel efficiency of 17%. Finally, I discuss ongoing scaling approaches by our lab for the design, implementation, and testing of these devices, in order to bridge the gap between research and practical application.
Second, I discuss our work on high-temperature electrolysis for the production of fuels. I review the techno-economic modeling, as well as receiver-reactor modeling2 followed by experimental demonstration of the approach and an outlook on a more integrated solar-driven thermo-electrochemical hydrogen generation.
I finish by comparing the various solar fuel generation pathways and compare the challenges and future pathways of the different, complementing processing routes.
References:
1. S. Y. Tembhurne and S. Haussener, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 163:H1008-H1018, 2016.
2. M. Lin, J. Reinhold, N. Monnerie, and S. Haussener, Applied Energy, 216: 761-776, 2018.
Practical information
- General public
- Free