The ZnFe 2O 4/(ZnO+Fe 3O 4) system for H 2 production using concentrated solar energy

Abstract

The performance of the reactor for the solar hydrogen production by two-step water splitting with the ZnFe 2O 4/(ZnO+Fe 3O 4) system, which recycles the O 2 releasing step using concentrated solar beam and the H 2 generation step, was examined using Xe lamp beams as a solar simulator. The reactor has two reaction compartments [Reactor (Beam) and Reactor (Trap)] for the O 2 releasing [Step (O 2)] and H 2 generation steps [Step (H 2)]. In Step (O 2), the ZnO is transferred from Reactor (Beam) to Reactor (Trap) by the concentrated Xe beams irradiation, and the solid phase of ZnFe 2O 4 in Reactor (Beam) changes to Fe 3O 4. In Step (H 2), the H 2 gas is generated by the H 2O decomposition reaction with Fe 3O 4 and the ZnO which is trapped in Reactor (Trap). The two solid phases (Fe 3O 4 phase and ZnO phase) in Reactor (Trap) change to ZnFe 2O 4 during this H 2 generation step. Then the reactor is turned at an angle of 180° [Reactor (Beam) and Reactor (Trap) are thus interchanged] and the same steps can be repeated.