Work Package 4

Description of work
The work in WP4 is broken down into 3 tasks:

4.1 Test Facilities (DLR, BUHL, IMDEA, PSI, USIEGEN, m07 – m15)

  • Specification of operating conditions for the experimental investigation
    • Hydroxide reaction system requires temperatures up to 600°C and pressures up to 3 bars
    • Mn based oxide reaction system requires temperatures up to 1200°C and pressures up to 10 bars
  • Layout of the test setups for both reaction systems:
    • Specification of feed supply, gas/water pre-conditioning unit, reactor, gas cooling system, and gas analysis system offering the possibility to vary temperature, pressure and feed flow to the reactor
    • Specification of control system and variables to be measured and logged
    • Establishment of a PFD and PID
  • Built-up of the test facilities

4.2 Lab-scale Reactor (DLR, BUHL, IMDEA, PSI, USIEGEN, m07 – m18)

  • Fabrication of small-scale reactor (10 W) for investigation with macroscopic samples (i.e. pellets comprising different sizes and forms)
  • Conceptual layout of the 100 W lab-scale reactors
  • Design of the reactors
    • Decision on construction materials to be used
    • Creation of 3d drawings
    • Safety analysis of the reactors
  • Fabrication of the reactors (by internal workshop and/or external supplier)
  • Integration into the test setups and commissioning

4.3 Performance in Lab-scale (DLR, BUHL, IMDEA, PSI, USIEGEN, m19 – m30)

  • Small-scale reactor:
    • Chemical kinetics taking mass diffusion and heat transfer within the macroscopic sample in account and comparison with TGA measurements
    • Testing of stability and degradation as well as influence of impurities by periodic reference measurements
  • Basic testing for validation of simulation model
  • Extensive performance testing
    • Evaluation of the influence of the most important operating parameters for different material inserts
    • Evaluation of charging and discharging behaviour, reachable power levels and heat transfer characteristics

Long-term testing including investigation of the stability of the material and degradation effects by periodic reference measurements