Thermo-economic study and optimization of solar hydrogen generation plants

Abstract

The main goal of this project is to calculate the maximum theoretical efficiencies of a solar hydrogen generation plant and also to carry out economic analysis of the solar and chemical plants. The final combined results would comprise the optimized values of the annual hydrogen production with respect to the overall costs. Another area of investigation is the effect of temperature and partial pressure of oxygen in the reduction of the chemical reactor. This will lead to the optimal values of temperature and oxygen partial pressure, hence determining maximal hydrogen production. The redox pairs under study are Cerium IV oxide CeO2, Zinc in the form ZnO/Zn , Ferrites as Fe3O4/FeO and Tungsten as WO3/W