Investigating critical design criteria for photo-electrochemical reactors

Abstract

Abstract A photo-electrochemical reactor has been gaining interest and has been seeking improvements in design, production efficiency, and cost reduction. As these improvements can make a photo-electrochemical reactor compatible with renewable fuel production devices, photo-electrochemical reactors’ design aspects are critical to reaching optimal performance through distinct and optimal reactor architectures. Thus, this study demonstrates designing factors related to single and double reactors following prior design decisions and performance indicators as these decisions play a significant role in achieving optimal design. Therefore, the results demonstrate that simplicity, functional convenience, and operational costs are the major decisions that need to be taken before the designing phase. Overall operation yield, current efficiency, energy efficiency, overall selectivity, and specific energy consumptions are performance indicators used to compare designed reactors. These decisions and indicators can provide insights into practical reactors’ designs.