Volume 42: Energy Transitions toward Carbon Neutrality: Part V

Thermodynamic Analysis of A Carbon Neutral Polygeneration System with Solar Chemical Looping Dry Reforming and Photovoltaic Electrolysis Shiying Yang, Fan Jiao, Yibiao Long, Xiangyu Yan, Taixiu Liu, Qibin Liu

Abstract

Distributed energy supply involving solar energy is a promising way to improve sustainable development. However, the challenges of high energy consumption for CO2 capture and low solar share in traditional solar natural gas reforming or coal gasification polygeneration still need to be overcome. Here, we proposed a novel solar carbon-neutral polygeneration system integrated with solar chemical looping dry reforming, PV-SOEC and distributed energy supply, characterized by enhanced solar share, low carbon capture energy consumption and high efficiency. The used solar chemical looping dry reforming not only obtains automatic separation products of CO and H2, but upgrade solar energy into chemical energy. The obtained CO combined with the by-product of PV-SOEC (O2) is then used for generation on the way of pure oxygen combustion. The exhausted CO2 is cascaded utilized through an absorption refrigeration and heat exchange, and then captured with no extra energy consumption. Through a simulation model, we find that the overall system efficiency can reach 63.7% with a solar share of 44.2%. The solar-to-chemical efficiency of the solar chemical looping dry reforming unit is 63.9%. This work offers a promising solution for the integration and construction of a high-efficiency, high-solar-share energy system.

Keywords hydrogen, solar energy, carbon neutrality, solar thermochemical coversion, polygeneration