Improvement of CO₂ Photoreduction Efficiency by Process Intensification

• Main Authors: Zekai Zhang, Ying Wang, Guokai Cui, Huayan Liu, Stéphane Abanades, Hanfeng Lu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: Catalysts
• Subjects: CO₂ photoreduction; process intensification; concentrated solar light; reaction kinetics
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/8/912

This paper addresses an innovative approach to improve CO₂ photoreduction via process intensification. The principle of CO₂ photoreduction using process intensification is presented and reviewed. Process intensification via concentrating solar light technology is developed and demonstrated. The concept consists in rising the incident light intensity as well as the reaction temperature and pressure during CO₂ photoreduction using concentrating solar light. A solar reactor system using concentrated sunlight was accordingly designed and set up. The distribution of light intensity and temperature in the reactor was modeled and simulated. CO₂ photoreduction performance in the reactor system was assessed, and the reaction temperature and pressure evolution were recorded. The results showed that the light intensity, temperature, and pressure could be effectively increased and irradiation on the catalyst surface followed a Gaussian distribution. The CO₂ photoreduction reaction rates were enhanced to hundreds of times.