2020

Project-Start 2020

CO₂-neutral fuels | Hydrogen as energy carrier

SolarFuelNow

Solar chemical processes have special requirements for the heliostat field control, especially when the heat demand varies over time, e.g. in processes for hydrogen or synthesis gas production. In the SolarFuelNow project, a multi-variable model predictive control for a multi-reactor system is being developed, which incorporates data from an improved cloud prediction system. This control will be demonstrated at the Multifocus Tower in Juelich.

Low-emission base material production

FlowPhotoChem

The EU project FlowPhotoChem has succeeded in developing a modular, sunlight-operated system for the production of sustainable chemicals and operating it in practice in the High-Flux Solar Simulator at the DLR site in Cologne-Porz. The project focussed on the solar production of ethylene, an important base material for the chemical industry, which is used for the production of the plastic polyethylene, among other things. In addition, relevant quantities of other valuable products such as acetate, ethanol and propanol are produced.

CO₂-neutral fuels | Hydrogen as energy carrier

HESTHY

Together with our US partner Sandia National Laboratories, we are improving a system consisting of two solar vacuum particle receivers in which the first of two process steps for thermochemical hydrogen production is carried out with redox cycle processes.

CO₂-neutral fuels | Hydrogen as energy carrier

SOL

In the SOL research project, researchers from the DLR Institutes of Future Fuels and of Engineering Thermodynamics are investigating the coupling of concentrated sunlight with a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC). The resulting new process is so interesting because it could produce green hydrogen or synthesis gas with the highest efficiencies on a multi-megawatt scale. Especially for industries with high CO2 emissions, such as the fuel, steel and cement industries, the process could be an interesting option to reduce CO2 emissions.