Radiatively Recuperated Reactor System for Temperature-Swing Chemical Looping Fuel-Production Processes

What is disclosed relates to a novel reactor system design for chemical looping solar fuel production processes incorporating temperature swing between two or more zones, wherein two or more individual reactors are employed, and heat is recuperated between the reactors by means including radiative heat exchange. Each individual reactor comprising the overall system is isolated from other reactors and the external environment for gas exchange purposes, so that the inflow and outflow of chemical species from individual reactors can be controlled. Individual reactors are arranged in the form of a moving train, and heat exchange between a pair of reactors is facilitated by radiative exchange. External heat addition and removal between the system and its environment may be achieved by means including radiative heat exchange with the hot source and convective exchange with the cold source. This may include, in a particular embodiment, the use of solar irradiation. The disclosure also includes procedures for operating such a system.