HYTHEC: An EC funded search for a long term massive hydrogen production route using solar and nuclear technologies

摘要

The objective of HYTHEC—HYdrogen THErmo-chemical Cycles—is to investigate the effective potential for massive hydrogen production of the S-I thermo-chemical cycle, and to compare it with the hybrid S Westinghouse (WH) cycle. The project aims to conduct flow-sheeting, industrial scale-up, safety and costs modelling, to improve the fundamental knowledge and efficiency of the S-I cycle H_2 production step, and to investigate a solar primary energy source for the H_2SO_4 decomposition step which is common to both the cycles. Initial reference flowsheets have been prepared and compared. First data and results are available now on the coupling of S-I cycle with a very high temperature nuclear reactor, scale-up to industrial level and cost estimation, improvement of the knowledge of the HI_x mixture (S-I cycle) and membrane separation, splitting of sulphuric acid using a solar furnace, and plant concepts regarding the WH process.