Design of a Particle-Based Solar Receiver for Coupling with a Solar-Driven Pyrolysis Reactor

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Design of a Particle-Based Solar Receiver for Coupling with a Solar-Driven Pyrolysis Reactor 24 September 2025 | SolarPACES 2025 | Almería, Spain Megan Kirschmeier1, Juan Pablo Rincon Duarte1, Justin Eckstein1, Clarisse Lorreyte1, Benno Schumacher1, Marco Binotti2, Gkiokchan Moumin1, Martin Roeb1 1German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany 2Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy www.pysolo.eu •Introduction: The PYSOLO Project •Solar Receiver •Research Question •Methods •Results •Conclusion & Outlook M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 2 OUTLINE www.pysolo.eu Storage M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 3 INTRODUCTION PYrolysis of biomass by concentrated SOLar pOwer https://pysolo.eu/ Heat www.pysolo.eu M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 4 SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN Versatility of feedstocks [1] Nie et al., 2022, “Solid particle solar receivers in the next-generation concentrated solar power plant” [2] Lackovic & Buck, 2024, “Development of Centrifugal Particle Receivers [1] [2] [1] SphericalIrregular Particle-Based Solar Receivers PYSOLO Concept –Rotary Kiln https://www.suncomachinery.com/products/rotary_drying_machine/20220907/21.html [3] J. Mellmann, 2001, "The transverse motion of solids in rotating cylinders—forms of motion and transition behavior" 0.25-1mm https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/what-is-biochar/ ~8mm long www.pysolo.eu M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 5 SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN Versatility of feedstocks [1] Nie et al., 2022, “Solid particle solar receivers in the next-generation concentrated solar power plant” [2] Lackovic & Buck, 2024, “Development of Centrifugal Particle Receivers [1] [2] [1] SphericalIrregular Particle-Based Solar Receivers PYSOLO Concept –Rotary Kiln https://www.suncomachinery.com/products/rotary_drying_machine/20220907/21.html [3] J. Mellmann, 2001, "The transverse motion of solids in rotating cylinders—forms of motion and transition behavior" 0.25-1mm https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/what-is-biochar/ ~8mm long PHC/Char Separator www.pysolo.eu M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 6 SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN Versatility of feedstocks [1] Nie et al., 2022, “Solid particle solar receivers in the next-generation concentrated solar power plant” [2] Lackovic & Buck, 2024, “Development of Centrifugal Particle Receivers [1] [2] [1] SphericalIrregular Particle-Based Solar Receivers PYSOLO Concept –Rotary Kiln https://www.suncomachinery.com/products/rotary_drying_machine/20220907/21.html [3] J. Mellmann, 2001, "The transverse motion of solids in rotating cylinders—forms of motion and transition behavior" 0.25-1mm https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/what-is-biochar/ ~8mm long www.pysolo.eu •2 operating modes: •Open aperture for inert particles •Closed, gas-tight for biochar M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 7 •Testing planned for 2026 in Cologne •10-15kWt SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN High Flux Solar Simulator 400°C 700-750°C www.pysolo.eu SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 8 Optical Performance www.pysolo.eu SOLAR RECEIVER DESIGN M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 9 Optical Performance Conventional Rotary Kilns 5° Tilt Peak fluxes on kiln ceiling* Impaired optical efficiency/ solar field design* * Poster titled “Rotary Kiln Particle Receiver Design and Performance for Solar-driven Biomass Pyrolysis Plant” was presented Tuesday from 17:30-19:00 www.pysolo.eu •Passage time increases with decreasing mass flow rate •Maximum passage time →no particles flowing over the structures •Direct relationship between: •Internal structure dimensions •Mass flow rate •Passage time •Comparing max possible residence time to empty kiln shows a factor increase of: •5.1x for 20° •6.8x for 25° •10.4x for 30° M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 16 Kiln with Internal Structures RESULTS Increase in passage time increases with increasing inclination angle 3 RPM www.pysolo.eu •Passage time decreases with increasing inclination angle →96% decrease from 3° to 30° (with 3 RPM) •Results show good agreement with Sullivan correlation from the literature up to ~10° •At greater angles, the model overpredicts the passage time •Internal structures increase the passage time significantly →>10x increase at 30° •Results show potential for operating a rotary kiln at steep inclination angles for solar tower applications •Future work: •Additional internal structure designs for further improvement •Incorporation of structures in receiver for testing in solar simulator •Characterization of heat transfer behavior •Solar distribution inside the kiln •Structures as fins •Particle mixing M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 17 CONCLUSIONS & OUTLOOK www.pysolo.eu Thank you for your attention! [email protected] DLR – Institute of Future Fuels Department of Solar Chemical Process Development M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 18 This study is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The PYSOLO project receives funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme under grant agreement number 101118270. www.pysolo.eu M. Kirschmeier | SolarPACES 2025 | 24 Sept. 2025 19