H2O splitting via a two-step solar thermoelectrolytic cycle based on non-stoichiometric ceria redox reactions: Thermodynamic analysis

Garrett L. Schieber, Ellen Stechel, Andrea Ambrosini, James E. Miller, Peter G. Loutzenhiser

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    16 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    H2 production via a novel two-step solar thermoelectrolytic cycle based on non-stoichiometric ceria reduction/oxidation reactions is thermodynamically analyzed. The two-step cycle encompasses (1) the solar thermoelectrolytic reduction of ceria using a combination of concentrated solar irradiation, reduced partial pressure, and electricity from a photovoltaic array to increase the oxygen vacancy concentration in the sublattice and (2) the non-solar oxidation of non-stoichiometric ceria with H2O to produce H2, or CO2 to produce CO. The re-oxidized ceria is returned to the first step to complete the cycle. A thermodynamic analysis that imposes first and second law constraints to determine optimal performance predicts a solar-to-fuel efficiency of 31.1% for a reduction temperature of 1424 K and a maximum oxygen vacancy concentration of 0.229.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)18785-18793
    Number of pages9
    JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
    Volume42
    Issue number30
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jul 27 2017

    Keywords

    • Ceria
    • H production
    • Solar thermoelectrolytic cycle

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
    • Fuel Technology
    • Condensed Matter Physics
    • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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