The utilization of the captured CO2 as a carbon source for the production of energy storage media offers a technological solution for overcoming crucial issues in current energy systems. Solar energy production generally does not match with energy demand because of its intermittent and non-programmable nature, entailing the adoption of storage technologies. Hydrogen constitutes a chemical storage for renewable electricity if it is produced by water electrolysis and is also the key reactant for CO2 methanation (Sabatier reaction). The utilization of CO2 as a feedstock for producing methane contributes to alleviate global climate changes and sequestration related problems. The produced methane is a carbon neutral gas that fits into existing infrastructure and allows to overcome issues related to the aforementioned intermittency and non-programmability of solar energy. In this paper an experimental apparatus, composed by PV panels, an electrolyser and a tubular fixed bed reactor is built and used to produce methane via Sabatier reaction. The objective of the experimental campaign is the evaluation of the process performance and the comparison with other CO2 valorization paths.
Experimental investigation on CO2 methanation process for solar energy storage
CASTELLANI, BEATRICE;GAMBELLI, ALBERTO MARIA;MORINI, ELENA;PRESCIUTTI, ANDREA;FILIPPONI, MIRKO;NICOLINI, ANDREA;ROSSI, Federico
2017
Abstract
The utilization of the captured CO2 as a carbon source for the production of energy storage media offers a technological solution for overcoming crucial issues in current energy systems. Solar energy production generally does not match with energy demand because of its intermittent and non-programmable nature, entailing the adoption of storage technologies. Hydrogen constitutes a chemical storage for renewable electricity if it is produced by water electrolysis and is also the key reactant for CO2 methanation (Sabatier reaction). The utilization of CO2 as a feedstock for producing methane contributes to alleviate global climate changes and sequestration related problems. The produced methane is a carbon neutral gas that fits into existing infrastructure and allows to overcome issues related to the aforementioned intermittency and non-programmability of solar energy. In this paper an experimental apparatus, composed by PV panels, an electrolyser and a tubular fixed bed reactor is built and used to produce methane via Sabatier reaction. The objective of the experimental campaign is the evaluation of the process performance and the comparison with other CO2 valorization paths.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
