Solar Hydrogen Production via a Samarium Oxide-Based Thermochemical Water Splitting Cycle

Rahul Bhosale, Anand Kumar, Fares AlMomani, Ujjal Ghosh, Mohammad Saad Anis, Konstantinos Kakosimos, Rajesh Shende and Marc A. Rosen
Additional contact information
Rahul Bhosale: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar
Anand Kumar: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar
Fares AlMomani: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar
Ujjal Ghosh: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar
Mohammad Saad Anis: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar
Konstantinos Kakosimos: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University at Qatar, PO Box 23874, Doha 2713, Qatar
Rajesh Shende: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701-3995, USA
Marc A. Rosen: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe St. North, Oshawa, ON L1H 7K4, Canada

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: The computational thermodynamic analysis of a samarium oxide-based two-step solar thermochemical water splitting cycle is reported. The analysis is performed using HSC chemistry software and databases. The first (solar-based) step drives the thermal reduction of Sm 2 O 3 into Sm and O 2 . The second (non-solar) step corresponds to the production of H 2 via a water splitting reaction and the oxidation of Sm to Sm 2 O 3 . The equilibrium thermodynamic compositions related to the thermal reduction and water splitting steps are determined. The effect of oxygen partial pressure in the inert flushing gas on the thermal reduction temperature ( T H ) is examined. An analysis based on the second law of thermodynamics is performed to determine the cycle efficiency ( ? cycle ) and solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency ( ? solar?to?fuel ) attainable with and without heat recuperation. The results indicate that ? cycle and ? solar?to?fuel both increase with decreasing T H , due to the reduction in oxygen partial pressure in the inert flushing gas. Furthermore, the recuperation of heat for the operation of the cycle significantly improves the solar reactor efficiency. For instance, in the case where T H = 2280 K, ? cycle = 24.4% and ? solar?to?fuel = 29.5% (without heat recuperation), while ? cycle = 31.3% and ? solar?to?fuel = 37.8% (with 40% heat recuperation).

Keywords: solar thermochemical; thermodynamics; hydrogen; water splitting; samarium oxide; computational analysis (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: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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