Photo voltaic reactors for high-temperature thermochemistry are among the many breakthrough applied sciences to obtain US DOE funding IMAGE@ Aldo Steinfield ETH: A two-step solar thermochemical CO2-splitting cycle using Zn/ZnO redox reactions
The Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2021 Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Funding Program (SETO FY21 PV and CSP) funds analysis and improvement tasks that advance PV and CSP to assist get rid of carbon dioxide emissions from the vitality sector.
On October 12, 2021, SETO introduced that 40 tasks had been awarded $40 million. Twenty-five of these tasks will obtain nearly $33 million to analysis and develop CSP applied sciences that assist scale back prices and allow long-duration photo voltaic vitality storage and carbon-free industrial processes in america. Read about the SETO FY21 PV projects.
Method
Tasks will work to:
- Advance novel photo voltaic receivers and reactors;
- Advance key elements for pumped thermal-energy storage (PTES), corresponding to compressors and warmth exchangers;
- Meet technoeconomic necessities for thermal vitality storage, and put together the improvements for manufacturing and commercialization;
- Enhance the reliability, operability, and productiveness of techniques, processes, and designs of current CSP applied sciences;
- Enhance the design and operation of CSP vegetation by creating elements and tools for commercially related CSP techniques that use standard steam Rankine energy cycles.
Small modern tasks in photo voltaic (SIPS) will deal with modern and novel concepts that may dramatically decrease the price of CSP applied sciences to provide energy or industrial warmth. If profitable, these applied sciences may transfer to the following stage of analysis and improvement after one 12 months.
Aims
This funding program will assist obtain SETO’s purpose of lowering solar energy costs 50% by 2030 and produce photo voltaic into new markets. These tasks will advance CSP elements and applied sciences so CSP can substitute fossil fuels in industrial functions; advance PTES applied sciences that may use electrical energy to cost thermal vitality storage, both as standalone techniques or built-in with CSP vegetation; advance applied sciences, coaching, and requirements to scale back the prices of parabolic trough and energy tower CSP vegetation; and assist obtain a carbon-free electrical energy sector by 2035 and a net-zero-emissions vitality sector by 2050.
Selectees
— Award and value share quantities are topic to alter pending negotiations –
Subject Space 2: Scalable Outputs for Leveraging Superior Analysis on Receivers & Reactors (SOLAR R&R)
DIMENSIONAL ENERGY
Challenge Identify: Silicon-Carbide Receiver/Reactor by Additive Manufacturing for Concentrated Photo voltaic Thermocatalysis with Thermal Power Storage
Location: Ithaca, NY
DOE Award Quantity: $2.7 million
Value Share: $700,000
Challenge Abstract: Dimensional Power is partnering with Heliogen to design, develop, and check a solar-driven chemical reactor that may produce sustainable jet gas. The reactor will flip captured carbon dioxide and inexperienced hydrogen into gas at a goal value beneath $2 per gallon. The workforce will leverage an additively manufactured silicon carbide materials that’s steady at temperatures larger than 1,000°C to allow this expertise. The idea integrates thermal vitality storage into the receiver to allow steady operation of the reactor.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, GE RESEARCH
Challenge Identify: Extremely-Excessive Working Temperature Silicon-Carbide-Matrix Photo voltaic Thermal Air Receivers Enabled by Additive Manufacturing (Extremely-HOTSSTAR)
Location: Niskayuna, NY
DOE Award Quantity: $2.6 million
Value Share: $900,000
Challenge Abstract: The Extremely-HOTSSTAR challenge applies GE’s high-temperature manufacturing applied sciences to design volumetric silicon carbide (SiC) receivers to effectively convert daylight to thermal vitality. SiC permits photo voltaic receivers to transcend the temperature limits of steel alloys and can permit the workforce to design receivers applicable for very-high-temperature industrial processes. In collaboration with Heliogen, the workforce will use 3D-printing to optimize promising designs by enhancing manufacturability, reducing value, and validating thermo-mechanical reliability beneath practical circumstances.
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
Challenge Identify: Gentle Trapping, Enclosed Planar-Cavity Receiver for Heating Particles to Allow Low-Value Power Storage and Chemical Processes
Location: Golden, CO
DOE Award Quantity: $3 million
Value Share: $750,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will design, develop, and check a 100 kilowatt solar-thermal receiver that may ship vitality to particles at temperatures larger than 700°C. The modern method encloses the particles in a nickel-alloy receiver, formed to “entice the sunshine” by stopping vitality from being re-emitted again to the setting. Gentle trapping will likely be a key part of the workforce’s efforts to design a receiver with thermal effectivity above 90%. The workforce can even use a coating to forestall the receiver construction from overheating, in addition to a fuel to get particles to behave like a fluid contained in the receiver to maximise warmth switch.
PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER
Challenge Identify: Scalable, Infiltration-Free Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Manufacturing for Molten Salt Receiver
Location: Palo Alto, CA
DOE Award Quantity: $2.5 million
Value Share: $600,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge will develop scalable manufacturing processes for CMCs that may purpose to scale back the price of these high-temperature-stable supplies by greater than 3 times beneath the price of present industrial merchandise. To attain this they’ll develop manufacturing strategies that keep away from steps that take a very long time and use expensive supplies. This expertise will assist handle the necessity for scalable, corrosion-resistant receiver supplies suitable with high-temperature molten chloride salts.
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
Challenge Identify: Intensified Photo voltaic Reactor for Inexperienced Ammonia Manufacture and Gen3 Thermochemical Power Storage
Location: Lubbock, TX
DOE Award Quantity: $2 million
Value Share: $500,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will develop a solar-thermal system to allow an ammonia synthesis reactor that doesn’t require fossil gas enter. Through the use of a course of intensification technique, the workforce will design an ammonia reactor that effectively makes use of warmth all through the method to drive the ammonia response. The ammonia can be utilized both as a part of a closed thermochemical vitality storage system, for electrical energy manufacturing, or to provide ammonia as a commodity chemical. On this challenge, the workforce will deal with the design and validation of their heat-recovery expertise that may allow considerably increased effectivity than earlier designs.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Challenge Identify: Design and Manufacturing of Clear Refractory Insulation for Subsequent-Era Receivers
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
DOE Award Quantity: $2.5 million
Value Share: $600,000
Challenge Abstract: The College of Michigan is partnering with AeroShield to develop a producing technique for a novel aerogel materials developed by the challenge workforce. This materials has the potential to considerably enhance the effectivity of concentrating solar-thermal energy parabolic trough collectors. The aerogel is clear to the photo voltaic spectrum, and may be modified to soak up warmth that may in any other case be misplaced from the receiver tube. The workforce plans to indicate the aerogel can allow environment friendly solar-thermal vitality assortment at 700°C, to allow parabolic trough collectors to couple with high-temperature and high-efficiency energy cycles
Subject Space 3: Pumped Thermal Power Storage (PTES)
ECHOGEN POWER SYSTEMS
Challenge Identify: Superior Ice Slurry Era System for a Carbon Dioxide–Based mostly Pumped Thermal Power Storage System
Location: Akron, OH
DOE Award Quantity: $1.2 million
Value Share: $400,000
Challenge Abstract: Echogen will develop a warmth exchanger that may scale back the price of utilizing ice as a chilly thermal reservoir in thermal vitality storage techniques. The workforce will accomplish this by simplifying the design of current industrial techniques that mechanically scrape ice from heat-transfer surfaces. This challenge may enhance the price and operational complexity of environment friendly thermal vitality storage techniques that use warmth pumps to transform electrical energy into warmth for long-duration storage.
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE (1)
Challenge Identify: Characterization of Inlet Information Vane Efficiency for Discharge Compressor Operation close to the Dome of an sCO2 Pumped Warmth Electrical energy Storage
Location: San Antonio, TX
DOE Award Quantity: $500,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge will advance the design of inlet information vanes (IGV), that are a vital part in supercritical carbon dioxide compressors. They’re used to direct fluid movement in a compressor to optimize movement over the rotating blades. This challenge will combine IGVs right into a compressor to gather information on fluid-flow profiles that can be utilized throughout the business. The compressor is a key part in charging and discharging cycles for long-duration thermal vitality storage.
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE (2)
Challenge Identify: Growth of a Multiphase-Tolerant Turbine for Pumped Thermal Power Storage
Location: San Antonio, TX
DOE Award Quantity: $2.4 million
Value Share: $600,000
Challenge Abstract: Southwest Analysis Institute will design a turbine to maximise the effectivity of a carbon dioxide–primarily based warmth pump cycle, which is a promising expertise to effectively retailer electrical energy in long-duration thermal vitality storage techniques. This challenge will optimize turbine designs that may be capable to tolerate always shifting fluid properties, since it should work together with each liquid and fuel phases inside the machine. This heat-pump turbine is a vital part to allow cost-effective thermal vitality storage of electrical energy, with potential round-trip system efficiencies above 65%.
Subject Space 4a: Course of Enhancement and Refinement For Operations, Reliability, and Upkeep (CSP PERFORM)
ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Challenge Identify: Improved O&M Reliability for CSP Crops by means of Utility of Steam Generator Harm Mechanisms Concept & Follow
Location: Charlotte, NC
DOE Award Quantity: $1.9 million
Value Share: $500,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge goals to enhance the reliability, operability, and productiveness of concentrating solar-thermal energy (CSP) vegetation by creating a “principle and follow” doc for CSP steam mills, with enter from expertise end-users, corresponding to plant operators, designers, and different stakeholders. This reference and steering doc will cowl the evolution of injury in CSP steam cycle tools and the required operations and upkeep practices to handle this injury. It can absolutely describe the mechanisms that result in injury in every part and supply steering on figuring out points and understanding how one can handle and forestall its recurrence.
IDOM
Challenge Identify: Improved Design Commonplace for Excessive Temperature Molten Nitrate Salt Tank Design
Location: Minneapolis, MN
DOE Award Quantity: $2 million
Value Share: $500,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge will develop a complete design information for thermal vitality storage tanks for molten nitrate salt. The workforce will develop methodologies for the tank’s structural design, contemplating corrosion results and different elements, and tips for materials choice, welded joints, fatigue analysis, the design of the tank basis, and its leak detection techniques, along with the consequences of selecting inside versus exterior tank insulation. This information could possibly be a normal for nitrate salt tanks for builders to undertake and implement in new plant builds.
SOLAR DYNAMICS (1)
Challenge Identify: CSP Plant Optimization Examine for the California Energy Market
Location: Broomfield, CO
DOE Award Quantity: $1 million
Value Share: $250,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will conduct an in depth techniques examine to find out the optimum configuration of CSP vegetation to assist the rising wants of the California market. Working with grid operators and utilities, just like the California Impartial System Operator (CAISO) and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), this examine will consider the technoeconomic potential of various CSP applied sciences and configurations, and the important thing challenges stopping deployment to decrease the obstacles stopping CSP challenge improvement and commercialization.
SOLAR DYNAMICS (2)
Challenge Identify: Design Foundation Doc/House owners Technical Specification for Nitrate Salt Programs in CSP Tasks
Location: Broomfield, CO
DOE Award Quantity: $450,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will develop a design foundation doc for CSP techniques that use nitrate salts and can make it extensively out there to the general public. This doc will acquire key info on finest practices and classes discovered from current industrial CSP vegetation, and can present a key software to develop a typical understanding amongst future energy plant house owners, engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) contractors, and operations and upkeep contractors. Focuses of the doc will embody receiver tube materials choices, avoidance of stress leisure cracking, applicable welding procedures, warmth exchanger fabrication strategies, and warmth hint design, amongst others. The challenge will interact a big portion of the CSP business to make sure large relevance of the doc.
SPORIAN MICROSYSTEMS
Challenge Identify: Analysis of Excessive-Temperature Sensors for Molten Photo voltaic Salt Purposes
Location: Lafayette, CO
DOE Award Quantity: $1 million
Value Share: $250,000
Challenge Abstract: Sporian Microsystems will design and fabricate sensors to be used in molten salt CSP vegetation. The sensors will be capable to monitor movement charges, fluid pressures and chemical impurities, to make sure dependable plant operations. Sporian is teaming with three nationwide labs to judge and validate the efficiency of those sensors. Exact measurements of molten salt movement, stress, and chemical composition at working temperature will present CSP plant operators with info that may permit for enhanced management to enhance efficiency and extend the lifetime of key CSP subcomponents.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
Challenge Identify: Efficiency Enchancment in CSP Plant Operations
Location: Madison, WI
DOE Award Quantity: $1.6 million
Value Share: $500,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge will enhance efficiency in current CSP vegetation by making a mannequin of plant operations that may simulate actual vegetation to permit coaching of CSP operators. This mannequin will likely be able to evaluating various working and management methods to enhance plant efficiency and cost-effectiveness. CSP operators will be capable to check management choices in a low-risk however practical mannequin setting, which is particularly helpful for uncommon occasions that may have a big impact on plant output. Information from working industrial vegetation will likely be used to make sure the constancy of plant emulation fashions.
Subject Space 4b: Analysis in Gear For Optimized and Dependable Equipment (CSP REFORM)
BRAYTON ENERGY
Challenge Identify: Efficiency Optimization of Bought Particle TES Warmth Exchanger by Combining Good thing about Prolonged Surfaces and Particle Fluidization
Location: Hampton, NH
DOE Award Quantity: $1.9 million
Value Share: $500,000
Challenge Abstract: Strong particles have a number of benefits over standard molten nitrate salts as a heat-transfer media in CSP tower techniques. For a particle system to work with a steam Rankine energy cycle, new designs for particle-to-steam warmth exchangers are wanted. This challenge workforce will design and develop such a warmth exchanger using each particle fluidization and prolonged floor fins to maximise the warmth switch efficiency of the part. The workforce will construct and check a prototype warmth exchanger to validate efficiency fashions and operability.
Subject Space 5b: Small Progressive Tasks in Photo voltaic (SIPS) – CSP
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY (1)
Challenge Identify: Concentrated Photo voltaic Thermal Fuels Manufacturing by Electrical Area Enhanced Two-Step Gasoline Splitting
Location: Tempe, AZ
DOE Award Quantity: $300,000
Value Share: $75,000
Challenge Abstract: This workforce will develop a novel photo voltaic thermochemical cycle for the manufacturing of renewable fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2). Present ideas that thermally activate CO2 are restricted by the acute temperatures (round 1,500°C) wanted to execute the response. The workforce will design a prototype reactor that applies a small voltage to cerium oxide immersed in a molten salt to generate an electrical subject, which lowers the required temperature for the response. The challenge targets a 600°C discount within the CO2 splitting temperature, making the method possible for integration in a concentrating solar-thermal energy plant.
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY (2)
Challenge Identify: Expertise for Electrically Enhanced Thermochemical Hydrogen
Location: Tempe, AZ
DOE Award Quantity: $400,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: The challenge workforce will develop and check a thermo-electrochemical course of to provide “inexperienced” hydrogen from steam with photo voltaic vitality. This method combines high-temperature solar-thermochemical water splitting (TCWS) with electrochemical pumping of hydrogen by means of a proton conducting membrane. This mitigates or eliminates most of the key challenges to implementing TCWS. The expertise will allow low-cost solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies that exceed 25% (theoretical restrict > 50%).
REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
Challenge Identify: In-Operando Thermal Transport Characterization of Shifting Particle Mattress Warmth Exchanger
Location: San Diego, CA
DOE Award Quantity: $400,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will combine a novel heat-transfer measurement method into an working 1-megawatt warmth exchanger at Sandia Nationwide Laboratories. The method measures a dynamic floor radiation sign to find out thermal transport charges at completely different distances from the floor. The method will likely be used to look at each near-wall and bulk-particle heat-transport charges in a particle-to–supercritical carbon dioxide warmth exchanger. The warmth exchanger is a key part in Sandia’s Generation 3 particle pilot plant.
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE (3)
Challenge Identify: Excessive-Temperature Everlasting Magnet-Biased Lively Magnetic Bearing Growth for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Equipment Purposes
Location: San Antonio, TX
DOE Award Quantity: $400,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge seeks to determine and check magnetic supplies that can be utilized for bearings in concentrating solar-thermal energy (CSP) vegetation that use a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) energy cycle and function at temperatures increased than 540°C. The workforce will design everlasting magnet-biased energetic magnetic bearings (PM-AMBs), an enabling expertise for airtight sCO2 equipment, which is anticipated to extend cycle effectivity. PM-AMBs might have benefits over fuel bearings, together with larger tolerance to misalignment, lowered put on, tunability, and diagnostic capabilities. The workforce can even check key supplies for compatibility to publicity in a high-temperature CO2 setting. Machine layouts with PM-AMBs will likely be developed to exhibit feasibility.
UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
Challenge Identify: Growth and Experimental Optimization of Excessive-Temperature Modeling Instruments and Strategies for Concentrated Photo voltaic Energy Particle Programs
Location: Dayton, OH
DOE Award Quantity: $400,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: Precisely modeling movement and warmth switch of strong particles in next-generation CSP techniques is difficult in comparison with standard techniques that use liquid warmth switch fluids. The College of Dayton will carry out a wide range of particle movement and warmth switch experiments to develop and validate a broadly relevant computational mannequin that can be utilized by researchers engaged on particle-based techniques. DCS Computing will combine the validated framework right into a modeling toolkit. If profitable, a broad vary of researchers and expertise builders may use the modeling instruments to check their system with out additional elementary property measurements.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Challenge Identify: Spectral and Temperature-Dependent Optical Metrology: In direction of Extra Strong, Efficient and Sturdy Supplies for Concentrated Photo voltaic Energy
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
DOE Award Quantity: $200,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will discover the impression of temperature on the optical properties of supplies related to CSP. Conventional optical spectroscopy measurements deal with room-temperature properties, which will not be consultant of properties at excessive temperature. This workforce will develop standardized spectroscopic measurement strategies, protocols, and procedures to find out radiative properties of supplies. They are going to incorporate their information right into a digitized database of optical properties and make the most of each experimental information and predictive modeling instruments.
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA – LAS VEGAS
Challenge Identify: Growth of Gasoline Bearings for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Recompression Brayton Cycle
Location: Las Vegas, NV
DOE Award Quantity: $200,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: The challenge workforce will discover utilizing porous graphite within the fuel bearings that assist the turbine shaft of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycle turbomachinery. Gasoline bearings inject high-pressure fuel to keep away from friction brought on by rotation of the turbine shaft, which lowers effectivity. They are going to check their bearings in a high-pressure and high-temperature CO2 fuel setting to validate their efficiency. If profitable, these bearings permit for almost frictionless operation of the turbomachinery, minimizing put on and simplifying system operation, which would cut back upkeep prices and enhance cycle effectivity.
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA – RENO
Challenge Identify: Progressive Expertise for Steady, On-line (In Situ) Monitoring of Corrosivity of Molten Salts to Forestall Catastrophic Failure of Photo voltaic Thermal Crops
Location: Reno, NV
DOE Award Quantity: $400,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will develop and consider an modern sensor for molten chloride salts primarily based on the measuring “optical basicity,” which represents the corrosivity of the fluid. The workforce will develop and validate the idea, and design an internet monitoring system that could possibly be utilized in industrial vegetation.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – MADISON
Challenge Identify: Low-Value Heliostat for Excessive-Flux Small-Space Receivers
Location: Madison, WI
DOE Award Quantity: $300,000
Value Share: $100,000
Challenge Abstract: This challenge workforce will design a novel heliostat for small photo voltaic fields that will drastically scale back the part value in comparison with industrial techniques. The idea makes use of a two-step design by which a primary stage of reflection is completed by way of a set of rotating heliostats that share a typical set of monitoring drives, enabling important value discount. A second stage of stationary mirrors concentrates photo voltaic mild on the receiver.
Study extra in regards to the SETO FY21 PV and CSP funding program and the challenge choices within the different subjects.
