Solar Hydrogen Production Through High Efficiency Thermochemical Water Splitting With Photocatalytic Or Electrolytic Steps

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) of the University of Central Florida have teamed to develop an advanced solar thermochemical water splitting cycle for hydrogen production that utilizes the quantum boost effect of sunlight or a high efficiency electrolytic step. This is a fouryear program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that began in 2007 (1). The objectives are to cost effectively generate hydrogen from solar energy and water at 35% efficiency. The project is divided into three phases. In the first phase, thermodynamic and chemical equilibrium analyses of potential solar thermo-chemical cycles are being conducted. In the next phase, a bench-scale reactor system will be designed and integrated with a solar concentrator for on-sun validation. Finally, a fully-integrated pilot-scale solar hydrogen production system will be fabricated. This paper presents results from Phase 1 of this project. In particular, it addresses the preliminary design and optimization of the central receiver tower and solar heliostat field providing energy for the process, and reports progress on the cycle optimization and analysis and heliostat development activities. Copyright © (2009) by the American Solar Energy Society