Solar thermochemical hydrogen production:Experimental analysis and modelling of a solar reactor for decomposition of sulphuric acidThe Hybrid-Sulphur-Cycle is a promising thermochemical cycle to produce hydrogen – as a future energy carrier – at high efficiency. For a technical realisation of this process, DLR developed a test reactor for solar decomposition of sulphuric acid during the European project HycycleS. The second reaction chamber for catalytic dissociation of SO3 was modelled using the software package Dymola®/Modelica®. Validation was successfully performed by comparing the simulation results with experimental data available from systematic testing series in DLR’s solar furnace in Cologne. As a result, the model can now be used to simulate the reactor’s behaviour for operating points not analysed experimentally and gain an in-depth understanding of the process.
Institute ofSolar Research
Dennis Thomey*, Lamark de Oliveira,
Daniel Schöllgen, Martin Roeb,
Christian Sattler
* Tel.: +49 2203 601-2936, Fax: +49 2203 601-4141,E-Mail: [email protected]
The authors thank the European Commission for co-funding the projectHycycleS in the seventh framework program (contract number 212470)and the solar furnace team in Cologne for their support.
Heat800–1200°C
OxygenWater
Hydrogen
electrolysis
H2SO4
SO3 + H2O
SO2 + O2 + H2OSolar radiation(focus 2)
Solar radiation(focus 1)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7700
750
800
850
900
Experiment Simulation
hone
ycom
b te
mpe
ratu
re [
°C]
Volume flow rate of sulfuric acid [ml/min]
1 2 3 4 5 6 70
20
40
60
80
100
SO
3 c
onve
rsio
n [%
]
Volume flow rate of sulfuric acid [ml/min]
Experiment Simulation Equilibrium
