Ahmad Azari

Photoreduction is a promising technology for CO2 conversion and emission reduction, with monolithic solar fiber optic photoreactors enabling the transformation of CO2 into methanol. However, current systems face several limitations, including suboptimal light capture, inefficient mass transfer, and the variability of solar irradiation due to changing climatic conditions. Additionally, challenges remain in optimizing operating parameters and understanding the impact of by-product formation on the overall system performance. This study introduces a solar-driven monolithic fiber photoreactor model optimized for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol. The novelty lies in coupling a single-fiber geometry with full-spectrum solar irradiance to evaluate reactor performance and sustainability metrics. A MATLAB-based model was employed to simulate light distribution, reaction kinetics, and product formation under various conditions. The optimized configuration achieved a methanol yield of 2.15 × 10⁻4 mol m⁻3 and a CO2 conversion efficiency of 0.95%, an order of magnitude improvement over previously reported UV-based fiber reactors. These findings offer valuable insights for the development of more efficient and sustainable photocatalytic reactor systems, with potential implications for industrial-scale CO2 reduction technologies.