ABSTRACT

The production of fuels and chemicals by sustainable processes is one of key technological challenges of the 21st century. Carbon dioxide gas generated by power generation or industrial processes is a potential source of carbon for fuels and chemicals production. However, carbon dioxide is not very reactive, and no viable technologies for its conversion into fuels and chemicals presently exist. The goal of this product is to convert carbon dioxide and water to fuels and chemical using plasma-enhanced solar energy. In the proposed process, solar energy heats the carbon dioxide gas to the high temperatures needed to increase its reactivity. The heated gas is then converted into plasma, also known as an electrically charged gas, using electrical energy. It is reasoned that the plasma state of the gas will enhance the rate of carbon dioxide conversion. The process is potentially sustainable and has a low carbon footprint because it uses waste carbon dioxide and abundant solar energy, where electricity needed to generate the plasma is provided by solar photovoltaic cells. The project will also develop instructional carts for demonstrating energy and sustainability topics inspired by this research to a broad audience that includes Hispanic K-12 students in the Lowell, Massachusetts area.

The overall goal of the proposed research is to develop a fundamental understanding of a new process for synthesis of chemical and fuels from carbon dioxide and water using concentrated solar energy to drive the reaction thermochemistry and non-equilibrium plasma to enhance the chemical reaction kinetics. Plasma-Enhanced Solar Energy (PESE) combines solar thermochemistry and plasma science principles. The project will experimentally and computationally investigate PESE for carbon dioxide, water, and methane decomposition and reforming. The research will test the hypothesis that the molecular excitation produced by free electrons in plasmas increases solar photon absorption leading to enhanced chemical reaction kinetics. Towards this end, the proposed research will seek to understand non-equilibrium energy transport phenomena characteristic of free electron and photon systems, with particular focus on processes with comparable photon and electron energy fluxes. To support the research plan, new reactor systems equipped with solar energy receivers and non-equilibrium electrical discharge capability to flowing gas will be developed and characterized. Reactor experiments spanning the ratio of solar to electrical energy inputs will be performed at scalable process conditions. New fluid flow and chemical kinetics models for non-equilibrium energy transport will be derived and experimentally validated. The research outcomes seek to reveal the specific pathways of energy conversion during PESE processing and quantify the efficacy of plasma enhancement. Additionally, the research outcomes are relevant to other fields where electron and photon transport have essential roles, such as laser materials processing, semiconductor manufacturing, and combustion enhancement. The educational goal of the project is to engage students, from middle school to graduate level, on global energy sustainability topics. To enable the proposed education program, interactive demonstration carts for the modular teaching and learning of energy engineering & sustainability will be developed and assessed.

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