NDLI: Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass Using Solar Energy: Use of Nanoparticle-Laden Molten Salt as the Working Fluid

Content Provider	The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Digital Collection
Author	Tyagi, Himanshu Patrick, E. Phelan Ravi, S. Prasher
Copyright Year	2009
Abstract	Solar energy can potentially be used to convert biomass into more readily usable fuel. The use of solar energy in such a process improves the overall conversion efficiency of the system significantly by eliminating combustion of a portion of biomass needed to heat the rest of it to a temperature where pyrolysis occurs. The present study models the thermochemical conversion process during pyrolysis of biomass matter into product gases. Concentrated solar radiation is used as the source of heating of the biomass. The biomass is indirectly heated by a mixture of molten salts (Na2CO3 and K2CO3) and nanoparticles (copper), which acts as the absorbing medium and in turn heats the biomass matter (cellulose). A two-stage heat transfer and chemical reaction analysis is carried out in order to simulate the simplified operating conditions of a solar-powered gasifier. The temperature of the molten salt at the exit of the reactor is held fixed at 1000 K (727°C). The calculations are carried out at different values of solar concentration factor ranging from 10 to 60. The results show that the temperature of the molten salt mixture at the exit of the solar collector increases with an increase in the solar concentration factor. Moreover the temperature inside the biomass reactor is a function of the concentration factor as well and largely the determining factor of the rate of biomass conversion into product gases. At the highest concentration factor (Cf = 60), the model predicts that the reactor is able to convert 1.1 tons of biomass into product gases each hour using 900 kW of solar radiation at an overall efficiency of 8%. The main finding of this study is that under similar operating conditions a solar collector using a direct absorption fluid (mixture of nanoparticles and molten salt) would require significantly less concentration factor (an order of magnitude reduction) than a conventional solar collector. A conventional solar collector is defined as one where the solar radiation heats up a solid surface (such as tube walls) which in turn heats up the working fluid (molten salt). Such a reduction in concentration factor would translate into lower concentrator area, and consequently lower initial capital cost.
Sponsorship	Advanced Energy Systems Division and Solar Energy Division
Starting Page	405
Ending Page	414
Page Count	10
File Format	PDF
ISBN	9780791848906
DOI	10.1115/ES2009-90039
e-ISBN	9780791838518
Volume Number	ASME 2009 3rd International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Volume 2
Conference Proceedings	ASME 2009 3rd International Conference on Energy Sustainability collocated with the Heat Transfer and InterPACK09 Conferences
Language	English
Publisher Date	2009-07-19
Publisher Place	San Francisco, California, USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Pyrolysis Temperature Solar power Solar collectors Chemical reactions Combustion Biomass Fuels Nanoparticles Gases Fluids Heat Absorption Heating Solar energy Solar radiation Copper Heat transfer
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in