Particles fluidized bed receiver/reactor with a beam-down solar concentrating optics: First performance test on two-step water splitting with ceria using a Miyazaki solar concentrating system

A novel concept of a windowed, particle fluidized bed solar reactor was proposed by Niigata University for performing a two-step thermochemical water splitting cycle with redox metal-oxide particles. The solar reactor concept needs to be combined with a beam-down type solar concentrator. A new type of 100kWth beam-down solar concentrating system with a secondly elliptical reflector was built at the campus of University of Miyazaki, Japan. The solar reactor and the CPC were fabricated for demonstrating the concept of the windowed, particle fluidized bed solar reactor. The first performance tests of the solar reactor with pulverized ceria particles with 100 - 300 μm in diameter were carried out using the Miyazaki beam-down solar concentrating system.