Copper chloride electrolyzer for the production of hydrogen via the copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle

Hydrogen is considered a key element in solving the upcoming energy crisis, it is not the primary fuel source but an "energy carrier" similar to electricity and has to be produced using some other hydrogen rich source. Thermochemical water decomposition is a promising alternative to steam-methane reforming and electrolytic water splitting for a sustainable method of large-scale hydrogen production. The Copper-Chlorine thermochemical cycle is one of prime contenders among all the other thermochemical cycles being studied because of its low energy requirements compared to others and mild operating conditions, therefore making it available to be readily integrated to the available nuclear reactors or solar energy installations.;This present work focuses on the study and development of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer cell for the Copper-Chlorine thermo chemical cycle to obtain a better understanding through experiments and models of this process. Different operating and design parameters such as temperature, flow rate, current density, membranes and gas diffusion layers were considered to reduce the voltage and hence increase the efficiency of the electrolyzer. The effects of catalyst and mass transfer were studied on the thin film electrode using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) setup. A mathematical model was also developed to monitor the performance of the electrolyzer by predicting the change in concentration of copper chloride in the system with respect to time.;It is observed that flow rate and temperature plays a major role in decreasing the voltage drop. There was no effect of catalyst in the anode when compared to a bare anode at lower flow rates; but at higher flow rates there was significant decrease in voltage drop when a carbon cloth was placed at the anode end. High surface area carbon black has comparable activity towards CuCl oxidation with conventional catalyst like Platinum or Ruthenium oxide. It is also seen that mass transfers possess a serious problem in the anode half cell. The mathematical model for this electrolyzer system was developed to predict the change in concentration of copper chloride versus time as a function of design and operating parameters and mathematical simulations were found to be in close agreement with the experimental data.