LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM S-I THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESS COUPLED TO A HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS REACTOR

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated to the hydrogen produced by the sulfur-iodine thermochemical process, coupled to a high temperature nuclear reactor, and to compare the results with other life cycle analysis (LCA) studies on hydrogen production technologies, both conventional and emerging. The LCA tool was used to quantify the impacts associated with climate change. The product system was defined by the following steps: (ⅰ) extraction and manufacturing of raw materials (upstream flows), (ⅱ) external energy supplied to the system, (ⅲ) nuclear power plant, and (ⅳ) hydrogen production plant. Particular attention was focused to those processes where there was limited information from literature about inventory data, as the TRISO fuel manufacture, and the production of iodine. The results show that the electric power, supplied to the hydrogen plant, is a sensitive parameter for GHG emissions. When the nuclear power plant supplied the electrical power, low GHG emissions were obtained. These results improve those reported by conventional hydrogen production methods, such as steam reforming.