Catalytic solar thermochemical processing for enhance heat transfer and emission-free production of hydrogen

Solar thermochemical processing offers production of many commodities via reduced or completely eliminated emission footprint. Although solar reactor design and flow configuration play key role in process efficiency, use of right catalyst further enhances the overall efficiency. Our research efforts to explain the physical phenomenon behind the increase of the overall efficiency via catalyst addition showed that there is a direct effect on the heat transfer which in turn effects methane decomposition rate. In this paper, a compilation of our research results on the testing of carbon based catalyst and its impact on the heat transfer is summarized along with kinetics analysis of methane decomposition.