| Nuclear-based hydrogen production via thermochemical water decomposition using a copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) cycle consists of a series of chemical reactions in which water is split into hydrogen and oxygen as the net result. This is accomplished through reactions involving intermediate copper and chlorine compounds, which are recycled.;A detailed analysis of the general methodology of cost estimation for the proposed process, including all cost items with their percentages, the factors that affect accuracy, and a scaling method, is also presented. Furthermore, the total capital investment and the total overall cost of a Cu-Cl pilot plant are evaluated with the scaling method and the results for varying plant capacities and assumptions are compared by performing a parametric study and the results are illustrated.;Keywords: Hydrogen, thermochemical water decomposition, energy, exergy, nuclear, cost analysis.;In this thesis the Cu-Cl cycle and its components as well as operational and environmental conditions are defined, and a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis, incorporating energy and exergy analyses, of a Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production, including the relevant chemical reactions, is performed. Also the performance of each component/process is evaluated through energy and exergy efficiencies. Various parametric studies on energetic and exergetic aspects with variable reaction and reference-environment temperatures are carried out and the results are illustrated. |
