(584a) Solar Production of Hydrogen Using a Cadmium Based Thermochemical Cycle | AIChE

(584a) Solar Production of Hydrogen Using a Cadmium Based Thermochemical Cycle

Authors 

Brown, L. C. - Presenter, General Atomics
Wong, B. Y. - Presenter, General Atomics


The Molten Cadmium thermochemical cycle consists of two chemical reactions:

Cd(l) + H2O(g) => CdO(s) + H2(g) [350oC]

CdO(s) => Cd(g) + ½O2(g) [1450oC]

The first experimental hurddle has been overcome. Hydrogen has been produced at reasonable rates in a steam-hydrogen mixture at close to the thermodynamically predicted stoichiometry. The products of the high temperature reaction must be quenched to prevent back reaction. Work has begun on determining the required quench rate. Flowsheets have been developed, based on alternative quench strategies, to aid further process development.