Combined Coal Gasification and Fe_3O_4-Reduction using High-Temperature Solar Process Heat

摘要

The combined gasification of coal and reduction of metal oxides is proposed for mixing solar and fossil energies. The coal/Fe_3O_4 system was experimentally studied at PSI solar furnace. The reactants were directly exposed to a solar flux irradiation of 300 W/cm~2. The reaction proceeded rapidly after only one second exposure, suggesting an efficient heat transfer and chemical conversion by direct absorption of concentrated solar energy at the reaction site. The proposed solar thermochemical process offers the possibility of producing a cleaner fuel with a solar-upgraded calorific value.