Title: Solar thermochemical Dy₂O₃/DyO water splitting cycle for hydrogen production

Authors: R.R. Bhosale; A. Kumar; F. AlMomani; S. Yousefi; D. Dardor; M.H. Usmani; M.S. Anis; U. Ghosh

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

Abstract: The thermodynamic analyses of the dysprosium oxide-based water splitting (Dy-WS) cycle are reported in this paper. The first step of the Dy-WS cycle involves thermal reduction of Dy₂O₃, whereas water splitting reaction is the following second step. HSC simulation experiments (by varying the partial pressure of O₂ and reaction temperature) are performed to identify the equilibrium compositions associated with both the above given steps. Exergy and energy analysis of the Dy-WS cycle is performed to estimate various solar reactor process parameters including the solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency with and without heat recuperation. The HSC simulation results indicate that the solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency for the Dy-WS cycle is comparable with the ceria cycle.

Keywords: thermodynamic analysis; solar reactors; thermochemical reactions; dysprosium oxide; Dy2O3; water splitting cycle; hydrogen production; exergy analysis; energy analysis; simulation; solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency; heat recuperation. simulation; solar energy; solar power.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.081201

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.22 No.1, pp.54 - 72

Received: 31 Dec 2015
Accepted: 22 May 2016
Published online: 26 Dec 2016 *

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