EXPLORATION OF A SELENIUM-BASED CYCLE FOR THE THERMOCHEMICAL PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM WATER

摘要

We are exploring selenium-based thermochemical cycles for generating hydrogen from water. Preliminary experimental results suggest the feasibility of a ZnSe cycle that is based on the reaction of ZnO with Se and SO2 to give ZnSe and ZnSO4 The ZnSe is reacted with H2SO4 to give H2Se, which can be thermally dissociated into H and Se. The ZnSO4 must be thermally dissociated to regenerate the ZnO. This work led us to consider using a metal oxide- SO„ reduction of methanol, in a methane-methanol cycle. Calculations suggest that such a scheme, which produces methane and a metal sulfate, would be thermodynamically efficient.