IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0481673
(2012-05-25)
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등록번호 |
US-8673220
(2014-03-18)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- McAlister Technologies, LLC
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
109 |
초록
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Reactors for conducting thermochemical processes with solar heat input, and associated systems and methods. A representative system includes a reactor having a reaction zone, a reactant source coupled in fluid in communication with the reactant zone, and a solar concentrator having at least one conc
Reactors for conducting thermochemical processes with solar heat input, and associated systems and methods. A representative system includes a reactor having a reaction zone, a reactant source coupled in fluid in communication with the reactant zone, and a solar concentrator having at least one concentrator surface positionable to direct solar energy to a focal area. The system can further include an actuator coupled to the solar concentrator to move the solar concentrator relative to the sun, and a controller operatively coupled to the actuator. The controller can be programmed with instructions that direct the actuator to position the solar concentrator to focus the solar energy on the reaction zone when the solar energy is above a threshold level, and point to a location in the sky having relatively little radiant energy to cool an object when the solar energy is below the threshold level.
대표청구항
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1. A reactor system for processing a reactant, comprising: a reactor having a reaction zone;a reactant source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor;a solar concentrator having at least one concentrator surface positionable to direct solar energy to a focal area;an actu
1. A reactor system for processing a reactant, comprising: a reactor having a reaction zone;a reactant source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor;a solar concentrator having at least one concentrator surface positionable to direct solar energy to a focal area;an actuator coupled to the solar concentrator to move the solar concentrator relative to the sun; anda controller operatively coupled to the actuator, the controller being programmed with instructions that, when executed: direct the actuator to position the solar concentrator to focus the solar energy for delivery to the reaction zone during a first operational phase; anddirect the actuator to position the solar concentrator to point to a location in the sky having relatively little radiant energy to cool an object positioned at the focal area during a second operational phase. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, when executed, direct the actuator to position the solar concentrator to point to a location in the sky away from the sun to direct radiation away from and cool the object during the second operational phase. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a heat exchanger carrying a heat exchanger fluid, and wherein the heat exchanger is positionable at the focal area during the second operational phase to discharge heat from the heat exchanger fluid via the solar concentrator. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of the heat exchanger and the solar concentrator is movable relative to the other between a first configuration in which the focal area is aligned with the reaction zone and a second configuration in which the focal area is aligned with the heat exchanger. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the reaction zone is a first reaction zone and wherein the system further includes a second reaction zone, and wherein at least one of the solar concentrator, the first reaction zone and the second reaction zone is movable to form a first configuration in which the focal area is aligned with the first reaction zone and a second configuration in which the focal area is aligned with the second reaction zone. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the solar concentrator includes a dish-shaped concentrator. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the solar concentrator includes a trough-shaped concentrator. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the solar concentrator includes a Fresnel lens. 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reactant carried by the reactant source, and wherein the reactant includes a hydrogen donor having at least one of carbon, boron, nitrogen, silicon, a transition metal, and sulfur as a constituent. 10. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the system further comprises: a radiation control structure positioned between the concentrator surface and the focal area, the radiation control structure having a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface, the first surface having a first radiant energy absorptivity and a first radiant energy emissivity, the second surface having a second radiant energy absorptivity less than the first radiant energy absorptivity and a second radiant energy emissivity greater than the first radiant energy emissivity; anda second actuator coupled to the radiation control structure to change the structure from a first configuration in which the first surface faces toward the concentrator surface, and a second configuration in which the second surface faces toward the concentrator surface. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the radiation control structure includes a plurality of pivotable elements, and wherein individual pivotable elements have a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface. 12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a redirection component positioned proximate to the solar concentrator and the reaction zone, the redirection component having at least one movable surface positioned to receive at least a portion of the solar energy directed by the solar concentrator and redirect the portion of energy into the reaction zone. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the redirection component includes a plurality of movable surfaces. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the movable surfaces include reflective surfaces. 15. The system of claim 13 wherein the movable surfaces include a re-radiation component positioned to receive radiation over a first spectrum having a first peak wavelength range and re-radiate the radiation into the reaction zone over a second spectrum having a second peak wavelength range different than the first. 16. A reactor system for processing a hydrogen donor, comprising: a reactor vessel having a reaction zone;a hydrocarbon donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel and carrying a hydrocarbon donor;a first product collector coupled to the reaction zone to receive a hydrogen-based fuel produced by dissociating the hydrogen donor at the reaction zone;a second product collector coupled to the reaction zone to receive at least one of carbon and a carbon compound produced by dissociating the hydrogen donor;a solar concentrator having at least one concentrator surface having a focal area and being positionable to direct solar energy toward the reaction zone;an actuator coupled to the solar concentrator to move the solar concentrator relative to the sun; anda controller operatively coupled to the actuator, the controller being programmed with instructions that, when executed: direct the solar concentrator to point toward the sun and focus the solar energy on the reaction zone during a first operational phase; anddirect the solar concentrator to point to a location in the sky away from the sun to direct radiation away from and cool an object positioned at the focal area during a second operational phase. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein: the reaction zone includes a first reaction zone;the actuator includes a first actuator;the system further includes a second reaction zone, and the object includes a heat exchanger carrying a heat exchanger fluid in fluid communication with the second reaction zone; and wherein the system further comprises:a second actuator coupled to at least one of the heat exchanger and the solar concentrator; and wherein the controller is programmed with further instructions that, when executed: direct the second actuator to align the focal area with the first reaction zone during the first operational phase; anddirect the second actuator to align the focal area with the heat exchanger during the second operational phase. 18. A method for processing a reactant, comprising: during a first operational phase: concentrating the solar energy at a focal area of a solar concentrator by pointing the solar concentrator toward the sun;directing the concentrated solar energy to the reaction zone;directing the reactant to the reaction zone; andperforming an endothermic reaction with the reactant at the reaction zone; andduring a second operational phase: dispersing heat at the focal area of the solar concentrator by pointing the solar concentrator away from the sun. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, from the dissociation products, providing at least one of: (a) a structural building block based on at least one of carbon, nitrogen, boron, silicon, a transition metal, and sulfur; and(b) a hydrogen-based fuel. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein dissociating the hydrogen donor includes performing an endothermic reaction at the reaction zone, and wherein dispersing heat includes dispersing heat from an exothermic reaction. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein dispersing heat includes liquefying methanol. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein dispersing heat includes liquefying carbon dioxide. 23. The method of claim 18 wherein dispersing heat includes dispersing heat from a heat exchanger carrying a heat exchanger fluid, by moving at least one of the heat exchanger and the solar concentrator relative to the other to align the heat exchanger with the focal area.
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