Reactor vessels with pressure and heat transfer features for producing hydrogen-based fuels and structural elements, and associated systems and methods

A chemical reactor system, comprising:

• a first reactor portion having:
• a first reactant port;
• a first product port;
• a first reaction zone in fluid communication with the first reactant port and the first product port;
• and
• a solar radiation path positioned to direct solar radiation into the first reaction zone;
• a source of methane and carbon dioxide coupled to the first reactant port;
• at least one first actuator coupled in fluid communication with the first reactant port to cyclically pressurize the methane and carbon dioxide;
• a second reactor portion having:
• a second reactant port coupled to the first product port;
• a second product port;
• and
• a second reaction zone in fluid communication with the second reactant port and the second product port;
• a check valve positioned in fluid communication with the first and second reaction zones;
• a source of hydrogen coupled to the second reaction zone;
• a second actuator coupled in fluid communication with the source of hydrogen to cyclically pressurize the hydrogen delivered to the second reaction zone;
• a first heat exchanger positioned in fluid communication with the first product port and the second reactant port, the first heat exchanger having:
• a first flow path positioned to direct products from the first reaction zone into the second reaction zone;
• and
• a second flow path in thermal communication with the first flow path and coupled between the first reactant port and the source of methane and carbon dioxide;
• a second heat exchanger positioned in fluid communication with the second product port, the second heat exchanger having:
• a third flow path positioned to direct products from the second reaction zone;
• a fourth flow path in thermal communication with the third flow path and coupled between the first reactant port and the source of methane and carbon dioxide;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the first and second actuators, the controller being programmed with instructions that, when executed, activate the actuators to increase a rate of methanol production, based on an input corresponding to the rate of methanol production.

A method for processing a hydrogenous compound, comprising:

• directing reactants, including a hydrogenous compound, to a first reaction zone;
• cyclically varying a pressure at the first reaction zone, with a first actuator, in accordance with a first cycle;
• directing heat into the first reaction zone to heat the reactants;
• disassociating the hydrogenous compound to produce a first product in an endothermic reaction;
• transferring the first product to a second reaction zone while transferring heat, with a first heat exchanger, from the first product to reactants in transit to the first reaction zone;
• cyclically varying a pressure at the second reaction zone, with a second actuator, in accordance with a second cycle;
• at the second reaction zone, producing a second product including at least one of a hydrogen-based fuel and a structural building block in an exothermic reaction;
• transferring heat from the second product to the reactants in transit to the first reaction zone, with a second heat exchanger;
• controlling a flow rate between the first and second reaction zones with a mechanism coupled between the first and second reaction zones;
• and
• controlling the first and second actuators in a coordinated manner based at least in part on a flow rate of the second product from the second reaction zone.