Solar processing of reactive particles up to 900°C, the SOLPART project

The main objective of the SOLPART H2020 project is to develop, at a pilot scale (30-50 kW), a high temperature (800-1000°C) 24h/day solar process suitable for particle treatment in energy intensive non-metallic minerals’ industries. Calcium carbonate decomposition (Calcination reaction: CaCO3= CaO + CO2) is the most representative and most endothermal reaction in this type of application of solar process heat for industry. This paper presents the context, the particle to be treated, the reaction thermodynamics and kinetics, the mass and energy balances and the solar reactor technology currently under development.