Chemical reactors with annularly positioned delivery and removal devices, and associated systems and methods

A chemical reactor, comprising:

• a cylindrical reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to and bounding a reaction zone positioned within the vessel;
• a reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel, the reactant delivery system including a first screw shaft having an outwardly extending first spiral thread and being rotatable about a rotation axis, the first spiral thread having a volume between neighboring threads that is smaller proximate to the reaction zone than distal from the reaction zone, the first screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a first axial opening extending along the rotation axis;
• a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel, the product removal system including a second screw shaft positioned concentrically within the first axial opening of the first screw shaft in close thermal communication with the first screw shaft, the second screw shaft having an outwardly extending second spiral thread and being rotatable about the rotation axis, the second screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a second axial opening extending along the rotation axis, the second screw shaft further having perforations at the reaction zone to receive gaseous products from the reaction zone;
• a combustor zone operatively coupled to the reaction zone to direct heat to the reaction zone;
• a gas supply conduit positioned in the second axial opening of the second screw shaft to deliver at least one of a fuel and an oxidant to the combustor zone via the perforations of the second screw shaft;
• a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone;
• a sensor positioned to detect incident solar radiation;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the combustor and the sensor to activate the combustor when the incident solar radiation falls below a threshold level.

A method for performing a chemical reaction, comprising:

• concentrating solar radiation;
• directing the concentrated solar radiation through a light-transmissive surface of a reaction vessel and to a reaction zone within the reaction vessel;
• actuating a reactant delivery system to direct a reactant to the reaction zone;
• performing an endothermic reaction at the reaction zone to produce a product;
• and
• actuating a product removal system positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the reactant delivery system to remove a product from the reaction zone.