SECARe Lab | Project on Hydrogen production from water splitting

Project: NPRP 6 – 116 – 2 – 044 (Award Active )

Title: Solar Hybrid Hydrogen Production Cycle with In-situ Thermal Energy Storage

Duration: 3 Year(s)
Start Date: 2/16/2014 12:00:00 AM
Submitting Institution: Texas A&M University at Qatar
Research Area: 2. Engineering and Technology
Speciality: 2.03 Mechanical Engineering
Sub Speciality: Thermodynamics

Project Description:
The program of research and development of a solar-powered water splitting cycle (WSC) with in-situ thermal energy storage using concentrated solar energy is proposed. The approach involves a hybrid photo-thermochemical WSC that combines a photochemical hydrogen production step with a high-temperature thermochemical oxygen evolution step to accomplish water splitting. The proposed cycle represents the modification of the Sulfur-family thermochemical WSC with three distinct innovations: (1) A unique photocatalytic step that generates hydrogen using visible part of the solar spectrum, (2) A novel O2 evolution half-cycle incorporating an in-line thermal storage that utilizes the same molten salt reagents that are used in the cycle, and (3) All fluidic operation (no solids are involved). The work will involve extensive process simulation and chemical plant analyses efforts (Aspen+, etc), as well as experimental studies of the photocatalytic and thermochemical stages of the hybrid WSC.