Improved SIPH Thermal Particles for Decarbonization of Chemical Production

Decarbonization of industrial petrochemical manufacturing using thermal energy from Gen3 Concentrating Solar Power falling particle bed receiver technology will be demonstrated in this Phase I project. Meeting carbon and cost metrics will strongly support the goal of using Solar Industrial Process Heating to decarbonize industrial energy, especially in the difficult to decarbonize chemical manufacturing sector. using non-oxidative non-catalytic dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene as a high-impact reaction that fits well with thermal energy supplied by CSP. Specifically, we will show greater than 85% decarbonization of ethylene production, as compared to commercial large volume ethane steam cracking, is achievable provided that proper selection of reactor design, operating conditions and improved thermal particle compositions are employed. Allowing for sales of hydrogen co-product and process steam or electric generation, and an approach using CSP thermal energy for all process power needs can achieve significant carbon-negative ethylene production while maintaining ethylene cost competitiveness. The Phase I project will focus on the key issues of thermal particle selection and reactor design to avoid operating in either carbon-forming or low ethylene yield modes and avoid particle degradation. Proposed work includes particle material selection and performance characterization, determining potential modifications to reaction kinetics in thermal particle beds, use of fluid and chemical process modeling to determine optimum reactor design and operating conditions, and analysis to demonstrate the cost and carbon impact benefits of the approach. Current processes for conversion of ethane, natural gas components, and petroleum fractions into petrochemical products involve extensive energy use, the same challenges facing commercial ethane or naphtha steam cracking. Using newer processes are not cost competitive with current petrochemical processes or face the same carbon-intensive endothermic energy needs. These issues can be overcome with the use of Gen3 Concentrating Solar Power thermal particles, which offer substantial cuts to carbon emissions while reducing capital costs, at energy costs comparable to or less than natural gas combustion. The simple particle-fluid reactor will have a scalable design that can be both economic to operate and be much smaller than conventional steam crackers. Success will significantly advance multiple energy goals, including those related to significant decarbonization and improved energy efficiency and independence, while also substantially broadening the applicable market for smaller scale and local ethylene production.