Energy Balance of Hydrogen Production in the Cathodic Regime of Plasma-Driven Solution Electrolysis of Na 2 CO 3 Aqueous Solution with Argon Carrier Gas

Sergii Bespalko and Jerzy Mizeraczyk
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Sergii Bespalko: Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia, Innowacyjna Street 9/11, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland
Jerzy Mizeraczyk: Department of Marine Electronics, Gdynia Maritime University, Morska Street 83, 81-225 Gdynia, Poland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-13

Abstract: In this paper, the results of an experimental study on hydrogen production at a tungsten discharge electrode with negative polarity in the DC electrolysis of a typical 10 wt% Na 2 CO 3 aqueous solution in three operational regimes (the Faradaic, transition, and plasma-driven solution electrolysis (PDSE)) are presented for the first time. To focus the study on hydrogen production, a flowing inert gas (argon) was used to transport the gas mixture produced at the discharge electrode and prevent any other potential chemical reactions. The results showed that the highest hydrogen production rate of 0.147 g(H 2 )/h was achieved in the cathodic PDSE regime at the applied DC voltage of 198 V. However, the energy yield of hydrogen production of 0.405 g(H 2 )/kWh obtained at the applied voltage range of 141–170 V in the PDSE regime was lower than that obtained in the Faradaic regime (0.867 g(H 2 )/kWh) at 28 V. The energy balance of hydrogen production in the cathodic PDSE regime for the typical aqueous solution of Na 2 CO 3 carried out for the first time showed that a significant share (?98%) of the electrical energy consumed is spent on heating and evaporation of the electrolytic solution. This explains why the energy yield of hydrogen production is low in the PDSE regime. Because most of the energy is consumed for heat generation in the cathodic PDSE regime, organic liquid hydrogen carriers, such as alcohols, which have a lower boiling temperature, heat of evaporation, and standard Gibbs free energy, should be considered better aqueous electrolytic solutions in terms of the energy yield of hydrogen production in the PDSE regime.

Keywords: DC electrolysis; electrolytic solution; plasma electrolysis; contact glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE); plasma-driven solution electrolysis (PDSE); hydrogen; hydrogen production; hydrogen production rate; hydrogen production energy yield; energy balance of hydrogen production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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