Abstract

High-flux solar irradiation obtained with optical concentrators is a viable source of clean process heat for high-temperature physical and chemical processing. Traditionally, the progress in concentrating solar thermal technologies has been driven by advancements in concentrated solar power, in particular in the context of large-scale dispatchable power generation. Solar thermochemistry is concerned with direct thermochemical production of chemical fuels and materials processing, without intermediate electricity generation, promising high energy conversion efficiencies. Solar thermal and thermochemical technologies offer unique advantages in rapidly evolving mixed renewable energy systems. They can complement direct renewable electricity generation technologies through sharing of relatively inexpensive but large energy storage capacity and by enabling hybrid thermo–electrochemical operation of chemical processing systems. This presentation gives an overview of concetrated solar thermal technology for power generation, processing of fuels and materials, environmental separations, and energy storage, along with discussing selected pertinent studies in optical, thermal and chemical engineering sciences.

Biography

Prof. Lipiński obtained his Master of Science degree in environmental engineering from Warsaw University of Technology (2000), doctorate in mechanical and process engineering from ETH Zurich (2004), and habilitation in energy technology from ETH Zurich (2009). He held academic positions at ETH Zurich (2004–2009), the University of Minnesota (2009–2013), and the Australian National University (2013–2021).

Prof. Lipiński's research interests encompass optical, thermal and chemical engineering sciences, with applications to solar energy. His basic research focuses on advances in transport and reactive flow phenomena, in particular for problems with significant radiative transfer effects. His applied research primarily underpins developments in concentrated solar thermal energy for power generation, processing of fuels and materials, and environmental separations.

Prof. Lipiński is serving on editorial boards of Solar Energy, the Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, and Thermopedia. He is involved in the International Centre for Heat and Mass Transfer and several other professional societies. His work has been recognised, among others, with the Elsevier/JQSRT Raymond Viskanta Award (2013) and the ASME Yellot Award (2020). He is Fellow of the ASME (2021).