Photolytic formation of free radicals and their effect on hydrocarbon pyrolysis chemistry in a concentrated solar environment

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00092a004· OSTI ID:5271923

Hunjan, M S; Mok, W S.L.; Antal, Jr, M J ^[1]

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1. Hawaii Univ., Honolulu, HI (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

High-energy photons present in concentrated sunlight can be used to photolytically dissociate certain vapor-phase compounds known to be sources of free radicals. These free radicals can subsequently initiate or influence pyrolysis reactions involving hydrocarbons. Experiments were conducted in a vapor-phase, tubular flow reactor placed at the focus of a 1-kW arc image furnace, which acted as a source of simulated concentrated sunlight. Experimentally observed rates of acetone photolysis were in close agreement with the values predicted by employing the Beer-Lambert law. By the use of acetone as a photosensitizing agent, the photosensitized pyrolysis chemistry of n-butane, at 350{sup 0}C, was studied. Without photosensitization, no pyrolysis was observed. With photosensitization, a modest (2-4%) conversion of n-butane to butane, hexene, propene, and other hydrocarbons was achieved. Numerical simulations of the photosensitized pyrolysis behavior provided results similar to the experimental observations. The results of numerical simulations at higher temperatures lead the authors to conclude that major photosensitization effects may be observed at temperatures between 400 and 500{sup 0}C.

• OSTI ID: 5271923
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion; (USA), Vol. 28:8; ISSN 0885-8969
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ACETONE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BUTANE
PHOTOLYSIS
HYDROCARBONS
PYROLYSIS
SOLAR RADIATION
ARC FURNACES
COAXIAL FLOW REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEXENES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
VAPORS
ALKANES
ALKENES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRIC FURNACES
FLUID FUELED REACTORS
FLUIDS
FURNACES
GAS FUELED REACTORS
GASES
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
INFORMATION
KETONES
KINETICS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
RADIATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
STELLAR RADIATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
091000* - Biomass Fuels- Properties & Composition- (1990-)
400500 - Photochemistry
400800 - Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry