Hydrogen Production using Solar Energy
Abstract:
Hydrogen is the most abundant element on Earth. Alternative renewable fuel sources and means to produce hydrogen are rapidly becoming more popular as the demand for hydrogen increases. The proposed plant produces hydrogen through a photoelectrochemical process in which the electricity used is generated solely through solar energy. The plant is to be located in Yuma, Arizona due to the large amount of solar irradiance and ability to obtain water via a pipeline from the Gila river.
The photoelectrochemical process used is based on a PEC/DSC tandem device in which a semi-transparent dye-sensitized solar cell is used in conjunction with the PEC cell. The PEC cell absorbs the blue component of the solar spectrum, generating oxygen from water at the photoanode while the DSC cell absorbs the green and red components of the spectrum, producing hydrogen at the counter electrode. The proposed plant will operate 3 weeks out of every month, producing 1000 kg/day of hydrogen with an annual production rate of 252,000 kg H2/year.
The plant consists of four main sections. In section 100, the water is obtained, transported, and pre-treated to obtain pure water. Section 200 consists of the hydrogen production, where six photoelectrochemical fields absorb solar radiation and split the feedstock water into oxygen and hydrogen. The final two sections, section 300 and 400, are the hydrogen and oxygen storage. Both products are compressed and stored in high-pressure tanks before being transported via pipeline to nearby customers.
Students:
- Alyssa Palazzo
- Klaire Brewster
- Raj Singh Sangha
- Andrew Rideout
- Ridley Robert Nan
