Title: Energy and exergy analyses of the drying step of a copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production

Authors: Mehmet F. Orhan, Ibrahim Dincer, Marc A. Rosen

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: Hydrogen can be produced by decomposing water, through thermochemical cycles, in an environmentally benign manner using nuclear energy. The copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) cycle is one of the most promising low-temperature thermochemical cycles and involves five main steps: HCl (g) production; oxygen production; copper (Cu) production; drying; hydrogen production. In this study, energy and exergy analyses are performed of the drying step of the Cu-Cl cycle for hydrogen production, considering its operational and environmental conditions. The evaluation considers efficiencies and various parametric studies are carried out of energetic and exergetic aspects, considering variable evaporator and reference-environment temperatures.

Keywords: hydrogen production; thermochemical water decomposition; energy analysis; exergy analysis; nuclear energy; nuclear power; flash dryer; evaporators; drying; copper; chlorine.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2009.028574

International Journal of Exergy, 2009 Vol.6 No.6, pp.793 - 808

Published online: 19 Sep 2009 *

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