Conceptual design and feasibility assessment of photoreactors for solar energy storage

The experimental results of testing with different irradiation power are compared and used as a basis for the feasibility assessment and conceptual design of a photoreforming reactor. The highest H2 productivity (0.276 mol H2/h kgcat) was achieved with 1 g/L of 1 wt% Au/TiO2 P25 catalyst by using a 113 W/m2 UVA irradiation. Insufficient hydrogen productivity for practical deployment was achieved, following reactor design. However, the comparison with the state of the art evidenced that also the energy storage potential of the literature photocatalysts do not allow a short term feasibility of the proposed technology. The potential productivity of hydrogen, as well as solar energy storage efficiency are discussed both for the present experimental values and for the best results in the literature. On the other hand, solar energy can be used to artificially fix CO2, e.g. captured and stored from combustion processes that can be converted back to chemicals or regenerated fuels. The production of H2, HCOOH, HCHO and CH3OH by photoreduction of CO2 has been evaluated as for daily production potential. CO2 photoconversion to formaldehyde can be envisaged as solar energy storage mean with 13.3% efficiency, whereas for the other products the solar energy storage efficiency was below 1%.