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Scientific Article details

Title Reactor and Plant Designs for the Solar Photosynthesis of Fuels
ID_Doc 20046
Authors Degerli, SN; Gramegna, A; Tommasi, M; Ramis, G; Rossetti, I
Title Reactor and Plant Designs for the Solar Photosynthesis of Fuels
Year 2024
Published Energies, 17.0, 13
DOI 10.3390/en17133112
Abstract Solar-boosted photo-technology stands out as a powerful strategy for photosynthesis and photocatalytic processes due to its minimal energy requirements, cost-effectiveness and operation under milder, environmentally friendly conditions compared to conventional thermocatalytic options. The design and development of photocatalysts have received a great deal of attention, whereas photoreactor development must be studied deeper to enable the design of efficient devices for practical exploitation. Furthermore, scale-up issues are important for this application, since light distribution through the photoreactor is a concurrent factor. This review represents a comprehensive study on the development of photoreactors to be used mainly for the photoreduction of CO2 to fuels, but with concepts easily transferable to other photosynthetic applications such as ammonia synthesis and water splitting, or wastewater treatment, photovoltaics combined to photoreactors, etc. The primary categories of photoreactors are thoroughly examined. It is also explained which parameters influence the design of a photoreactor and next-generation high-pressure photoreactors are also discussed. Last but not least, current technologies for solar concentrators are recalled, considering their possible integration within the photoreactor. While many reviews deal with photocatalytic materials, in the authors' view, photoreactors with significant scale and their merged devices with solar concentrators are still unexploited solutions. These are the key to boost the efficiency of these processes towards commercial viability; thus, the aim of this review is to summarise the main findings on solar photoreactors for the photoreduction of CO2 and for related applications.
Author Keywords photoreactors; solar photoreactors; concentrating solar systems; solar beam-down photoreactors; reactor design; CO2 photoreduction; solar fuel production; advanced oxidation processes (AOPs); high-pressure photoreactors
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:001268241100001
WoS Category Energy & Fuels
Research Area Energy & Fuels
PDF https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/13/3112/pdf?version=1719234852
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