Hydrosol : Advanced monolithic reactors for hydrogen generation from solar water splitting
The HYDROSOL research team Iws developed an innovative solar thermo-chemical
reactar for the production of hydrogen from water splitting, constructed from special refractory
ceramic thin-wall, multi-clwnneled (honeycomb) monoliths that absorb solar radiation. nIe monolith
channels are coated with active water-splitting materials capable to split water vapor passing
through the reactor by ’trapping’ its oxygen and leaving in the ejJluent gas stream as product pure
hydrogen. ln a next step, the oxygen ’trapping’ material is solar-aided regenerated (i.e. releases the
oxygen absorbed) and hence a cyclic operation is established. The first kind of such a pilot-scale
reactor \Vas designed, built and is current/y operating in a cont/nuous mode at a solar fumace
facility. producing hydrogen by cyclic operation exclusively at the expense of solar energy ; up to 40
cycles of constant He !production were operated in a row ill a Iwo-da y continuous production of
hydrogen. Further scale-up of the technology and its effective coupling with solar concentration
systems are in progress ta demonstrate large-scale feasibility of a ’solar hydrogen ’production plant.
Such pla11ls can offer new opportunities to regions of the 1V0rld that have a huge ’solar potential’ like
countries of Maghreb, that can become important local producers of ’clean hydrogen ’.
Mots-clés
fr
Science et Technologie
Revue des Energies Renouvelables
Volume 09
Numéro 03
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