Session: 05-06 Other CSP Technologies

Paper Number: 107082

107082 - Feasibility of High Temperature Concentrated Solar Power for Cogeneration of Electricity and Hydrogen Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Receiver Technology 

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of coegeneration of electricity and hydrogen using high temperature, concentrated solar power central receiver with supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid. Carbon dioxide is heated directly in a high efficiency receiver to a temperature of 720°C, which then provides thermal input in series to a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) Brayton cycle for producing electricity and then to a thermochemical hydrogen production cycle. Three different methods of producing hydrogen are examined: the 4-step copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle, the hybrid sulfur thermochemical cycle, and two different electrolyzers: the alkaline electrolyzer and the polymer exchange membrane electrolyzer. Simulations developed in Aspen Plus were used to estimate the thermochemical hydrogen production efficiency, while the solar receiver and sCO₂ Brayton cycle performance were based on results of prior work. The initial results show that the overall solar-to-electricity/H₂ efficiencies for the Cu-Cl cycle, hybrid sulfur cycle, alkaline electrolyzer, and polymer exchange membrane electrolyzer are 39.6%, 21.6%, 45.4%, and 28.1%, respectively. These systems' hydrogen capacities are 864, 684, 806, and 500 kg/h, respectively. According to the initial results, the Cu-Cl cycle and the alkaline electrolyzer are the most promising methods in terms of overall thermal efficiency and hydrogen capacity.

Presenting Author: Nader A. Khormi Oregon State University

Presenting Author Biography: Nader A. Khormi is a graduate research assistant at Oregon State University.