Solar thermochemical conversion of CO2 into fuels using Ni-Ferrite driven redox reactions: Thermodynamic efficiency analysis

The growing levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in our atmosphere are a significant driver of climate change, highlighting the need for innovative strategies to utilize this greenhouse gas. One promising solution is solar-driven thermochemical CO₂ splitting (CDS), which can convert CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO)—a vital component for producing syngas and fuels. This study examines the thermodynamic performance of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) as a redox material in solar thermochemical CO₂ splitting processes. To evaluate how different factors influence the efficiency of this process, a detailed thermodynamic model was created. This model looks at how variations in inert gas flow rates and gas-to-gas heat recuperation affect key parameters and the overall solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency. The findings reveal that while increasing the inert gas flowrate lowers the required thermal reduction temperature, it also raises the total energy demand. On the other hand, enhancing gas-to-gas heat recuperation significantly decreases the energy demand associated with the process, thereby boosting overall efficiency. Overall, this research underscores the potential of NiFe2O4 as a highly effective catalyst for solar thermochemical fuel production. It also offers valuable insights into optimizing process parameters to improve energy efficiency. This work advances the development of sustainable CO₂ utilization technologies and paves the way for scalable systems focused on solar-driven fuel production.