A promising method for the conversion and storage of solar energy into hydrogen is the dissociation of water into oxygen and hydrogen, carried out via a two-step process using metal oxide redox systems such as mixed iron oxides, coated upon multi-channeled honeycomb ceramic supports capable of absorbing solar irradiation, in a configuration similar to that encountered in automobile exhaust catalytic converters. With this configuration, the whole process can be carried out in a single solar energy converter, the process temperature can be significantly lowered compared to other thermo-chemical cycles and the recombination of oxygen and hydrogen is prevented by fixing the oxygen in the metal oxide. For the realization of the integrated concept, research work proceeded in three parallel directions: synthesis of active redox systems, manufacture of ceramic honeycomb supports and manufacture, testing and optimization of operating conditions of a thermochemical solar receiver-reactor. The receiver-reactor has been developed and installed in the solar furnace in Cologne, Germany. It was proven that solar hydrogen production is feasible by this process demonstrating that multicycling of the process was possible in principle.
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May 2006
Research Papers
Solar Hydrogen Production by a Two-Step Cycle Based on Mixed Iron Oxides
Martin Roeb,
Martin Roeb
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
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Christian Sattler,
Christian Sattler
German Aerospace Center DLR,
e-mail: christian.sattler@dlr.de
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
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Ruth Klüser,
Ruth Klüser
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
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Nathalie Monnerie,
Nathalie Monnerie
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
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Lamark de Oliveira,
Lamark de Oliveira
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
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Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos,
Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Christos Agrafiotis,
Christos Agrafiotis
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
e-mail: chrisagr@cperi.certh.gr
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
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V. T. Zaspalis,
V. T. Zaspalis
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
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L. Nalbandian,
L. Nalbandian
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Andrew Steele,
e-mail: steela@mathey.com
Andrew Steele
Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells
, Blount’s Court, Sonning Common, Reading RG4 9NH, UK
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Per Stobbe
Per Stobbe
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Martin Roeb
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
Christian Sattler
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germanye-mail: christian.sattler@dlr.de
Ruth Klüser
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
Nathalie Monnerie
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
Lamark de Oliveira
German Aerospace Center DLR,
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics-Solar Research
, 51170 Cologne, Germany
Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
Christos Agrafiotis
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greecee-mail: chrisagr@cperi.certh.gr
V. T. Zaspalis
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
L. Nalbandian
Centre For Research And Technology-Hellas,
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute
, Thessaloniki, Greece
Andrew Steele
Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells
, Blount’s Court, Sonning Common, Reading RG4 9NH, UKe-mail: steela@mathey.com
Per Stobbe
J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2006, 128(2): 125-133 (9 pages)
Published Online: September 27, 2005
Article history
Received:
May 9, 2005
Revised:
September 27, 2005
Citation
Roeb, M., Sattler, C., Klüser, R., Monnerie, N., de Oliveira, L., Konstandopoulos, A. G., Agrafiotis, C., Zaspalis, V. T., Nalbandian, L., Steele, A., and Stobbe, P. (September 27, 2005). "Solar Hydrogen Production by a Two-Step Cycle Based on Mixed Iron Oxides." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2006; 128(2): 125–133. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2183804
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