The thermal extraction of zinc from its ore willemite, Zn2SiO4, is investigated using concentrated solar energy. Experiments conducted at above 1750 K in a high-flux solar furnace yielded the products Zn(g), O2, and SiO2l.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
solar heating, solar energy concentrators, solar absorber-convertors, furnaces, zinc, zinc compounds
Topics:
Furnaces, Solar energy
1.
Palumbo
,
R.
,
Lede
,
J.
,
Boutin
,
O.
,
Elorza-Ricart
,
E.
,
Steinfeld
,
A.
,
Mo¨ller
,
S.
,
Weidenkaff
,
A.
,
Fletcher
,
E. A.
, and
Bielicki
,
J.
,
1998
, “
The Production of Zn from ZnO in a Single Step High Temperature Solar Decomposition Process
,”
Chem. Eng. Sci.
,
53
, pp.
2503
–
2518
.
2.
Weidenkaff
,
A.
,
Steinfeld
,
A.
,
Wokaun
,
A.
,
Auer
,
P. O.
,
Eichler
,
B.
, and
Reller
,
A.
,
1999
, “
The Direct Solar Thermal Dissociation of Zinc Oxide: Condensation and Crystallisation of Zinc in the Presence of Oxygen
,”
Solar Energy
,
65
, pp.
59
–
69
.
3.
Steinfeld
,
A.
,
Brack
,
M.
,
Meier
,
A.
,
Weidenkaff
,
A.
, and
Wuillemin
,
D.
,
1998
,
Energy
,
23
, pp.
803
–
814
.
4.
Sazama
,
U.
, and
Reller
,
A. J.
,
1996
, “
The Thermochemical Reactivity of Silicate Minerals in Hydrogen and Methane
,”
J. Thermal Analysis
,
47
, pp.
357
–
364
.
5.
Clark
,
J. A.
,
1979
,
Chem. Ind.
,
6
, pp.
5
–
10
.
6.
Weidenkaff
,
A.
,
Reller
,
A.
,
Wokaun
,
A.
, and
Steinfeld
,
A.
,
2000
, “
Thermogravimetric Analysis of the ZnO/Zn Water-Splitting Cycle
,”
Thermochim. Acta
,
359
, pp.
69
–
75
.
7.
Knacke, O., and Kubaschewski, O., 1991, in Thermochemical Properties of Inorganic Substances II, K. Hesselmann, Ed., 2, pp., 2336–2348, Springer- Verlag, Berlin.
8.
Weidenkaff
,
A.
,
Reller
,
A.
,
Sibieude
,
F.
,
Wokaun
,
A.
, and
Steinfeld
,
A.
,
2000
, “
Experimental Investigations on the Crystallization of Zinc by Direct Irradiation of Zinc Oxide in a Solar Furnace
,”
Chem. Mater.
,
12
, No.
8
, pp.
2175
–
2181
.
9.
Bilgen
,
E.
,
Ducarroir
,
M.
,
Foex
,
M.
,
Sibieude
,
F.
, and
Trombe
,
F.
,
1977
, “
Use of Solar Energy for Direct and Two-Step Water Decomposition Cycles
,”
Int. J. Hydrogen Energy
,
2
, pp.
251
–
257
.
10.
Elliot
,
P.
,
1991
, “
Minerals of the Beltana Mine, Puttabe, South Australia
,”
The Mineralogical Record
,
22
, pp.
449
–
456
.
Copyright © 2001
 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.