Solar Photo-Thermal Catalytic Reactions to Produce High Value Chemicals

This summarizes research about how solar photo-thermal energy can convert low cost chemical feedstocks to high dollar-value chemical products. Chemical market analysis and product price distribution focused on specialty chemicals with prices greater than $1.00/lb, and a synthesis sequence of n-paraffins to aromatics to partial oxidized products. It was demonstrated that enhanced reaction effectsresult from VIS-UV irradiation of catalytically active V 20s/Si02. Experiments involved dehydrogenation and dehydrocyclization of n-paraffins to olefins and aromatics, the latter was preferred. Results using n-hexane produced 95% conversion with 56% benzene; aromatic yield might reach~70% by further optimization. Pilot- and commercial-scale reactor configurations were examined; a shallowfluid-bed of catalyst with incident radiation from the top was favored. Daytime endothermic followed by nighttime exothermic reactions would be most cost-effective.