Abstract
The heavy isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium (D) and tritium (T) are materially important in nuclear energy production. In current heavy-water nuclear fission reactors, D is used as a neutron-moderator. Similarly, in nuclear fusion reactors, which are expected to represent the next generation of nuclear power, the reaction of D and T is responsible for the energy production stage. Many researchers have studied various isotope-separation methods, including water distillation, chemical exchange, water electrolysis and combined electrolysis catalytic exchange (CECE). The electrolysis method yields the most effective separation but the process consumes enormous amounts of electricity. This has led to a search for other methods that are more energetically efficient. In an attempt to solve the above problem, we proposed a new concept of hydrogen separation system: the Combined Electrolysis Fuel Cell (CEFC) process [1]. Here, hydrogen and oxygen were produced by electrolysis and used for power generation by fuel cells. Less electricity was consumed by the separation process owing to the implementation of hydrogen energy recycling. More recent works have reported the hydrogen isotope effect in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) [2, 3]. We found that CEFC could reduce 20 % electric energy, comparing with the only electric separation process. Furthermore, CEFC showed the high separation factor (α ≃10) due to the synergistic effect of PEFC and water electrolysis. Here, we will discuss the separation efficiency and the calculation of the total energy consumption by CEFC in several electrolytic and FC conditions. REFERENCES [1] H. Matsushima et al., Energy, 30 (2005) 2413. [2] R. Ogawa et al., Electrochemistry Communications, 70 (2016) 5. [3] S. Shibuya et al., Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 163 (2016) F704
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.