Simulation of Thermal and Chemical Processes in Annular Layer of ZnO-C Mixtures

A special setup, electrically heated, is described, enabling the simulation of the process conditions encountered in a solar chemical reactor. The setup allows studying of the thermal and chemical processes in different solid (powder or granules) reactant layers from the beginning of the heating until the reaction is completed, in heating condition typical for indirectly, externally heated solar reactors. Tests were executed with ZnO carboreduction process, using different powder mixtures of ZnO-C to demonstrate the layer-wise character of the reaction. The results show that the reactivity and the behavior of mixtures strongly depend on their components structures, impurities and stoichiometry. This method can be generally applied for studying endothermic chemical reactions involving other solid reactants.