Thermal swing reactor including a multi-flight auger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9586190-B1
Application number	US-201414278350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	May 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A thermal swing reactor including a multi-flight auger and methods for solar thermochemical reactions are disclosed. The reactor includes a multi-flight auger having different helix portions having different pitch. Embodiments of reactors include at least two distinct reactor portions between which there is at least a pressure differential. In embodiments, reactive particles are exchanged between portions during a reaction cycle to thermally reduce the particles at first conditions and oxidize the particles at second conditions to produce chemical work from heat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first reaction zone operating at a first temperature;
a second reaction zone operating at a second temperature;
a particle transport component capable of moving particles from the first reaction zone to the second reaction zone;
wherein the first reaction zone comprises a window capable of receiving sunlight from a sunlight source and a high temperature zone heated by the received sunlight; and
wherein the first reaction zone further comprises a first auger within a casing, and wherein the first auger comprises a flight that transports particles from a particle collection zone to the high temperature zone when the casing is rotated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the auger further comprises an inner cylinder that transports particles from the high temperature zone to a lower portion of the inner cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particle transport component comprises a second auger capable of transporting particles from the second reaction zone to the particle collection zone when rotated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conduit for transporting particles from a lower portion of an inner cylinder surrounded by the flight to the second reaction zone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particles are formed of a redox reactive material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is greater than 1000° C.

7. A solar reactor system, comprising:
a solar collection system comprising at least one mirror; and
a swing reactor having an opening for receiving sunlight directed by the at least one mirror;
wherein the swing reactor comprises:
a first reaction zone operating at a first temperature;
a second reaction zone operating at a second temperature;
a particle transport component capable of moving particles from the first reaction zone to the second reaction zone;
wherein the first reaction zone comprises a window capable of receiving sunlight from a sunlight source and a high temperature zone heated by the received sunlight; and
wherein the first reaction zone further comprises a first auger in a casing, and wherein the first auger comprising a flight that transports particles from a particle collection zone to the high temperature zone when the casing is rotated.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the auger further comprises an inner cylinder that transports particles from the high temperature zone to a lower portion of the inner cylinder.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the particle transport component comprises a second auger capable of transporting particles from the second reaction zone to the particle collection zone when rotated.

10. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a conduit for transporting particles from a lower portion of an inner cylinder surrounded by the flight to the second reaction zone.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the particles are formed of a redox reactive material.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first temperature is greater than 1000° C.

Assignees

• Sandia Corp

Inventors

• Ermanoski Ivan

Classifications

• B01J19/127 Primary

  Sunlight; Visible light · CPC title

• Y02E10/44

  Heat exchange systems · CPC title

• C01B3/063

  Cyclic methods · CPC title

• Y02E10/41

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B01J19/20

  in the form of helices, e.g. screw reactors · CPC title