HYDROSOL

The Hydrosol project (short for ' Monolith Catalytic Reactor for Hydrogen Generation from Solar Water Splitting ') is a project funded by the European Union project in the context of the promotion of renewable energies. The aim of the project is the CO2-free hydrogen production by concentrated solar energy.

In the project hydrosol thermal water splitting is investigated by means of a thermochemical cycle. Here, water is broken down into two process steps in its components, hydrogen and oxygen. In the first process step the water reacts with a metal oxide which is present in reduced form. The metal binds oxygen, and hydrogen is released. If the metal is oxidized to the extent that it can not accept any further oxygen more, it must be reduced again, one also says: ' regenerated ', be. This can be done under vacuum or under inert gas atmosphere.

For (M: metal, M (II) metal in the oxidation state II, O: oxygen, H: hydrogen):

The material is regenerated, a gap, etc. The step may be followed by again splitting step takes place at temperatures of 800 to 1200 ° C instead of, the regeneration step at 1000 to 1300 ° C.

In project -based iron oxide hydrosol come redox materials used. When the iron oxide materials used is not a catalyst in the usual sense, but rather a reaction partner. The energy required in the process is introduced by concentrated solar energy.

Other projects explore similar methods with other metals, such as zinc.

The hydrogen formed in this way solar is a CO2 - neutral energy source. Especially for sunny regions, this technique could therefore be interesting.

With a budget of 2.6 million euros, the project started in December 2002, which was scheduled to end in October 2005. Hydrosol II The follow-up project started in November 2005.

The participants in the consortium of the project are:

  • Aerosol & Particle Technology Laboratory, CERTH / CPERI (Greece )
  • Laboratory of Inorganic Materials, CERTH / CPERI (Greece )
  • German Centre for Aerospace eV ( Germany )
  • Heliotech Aps. (Denmark)
  • Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Plc. (England)

The Hydrosol project has won the following prizes:

  • The European Commission in 2006 Descartes Prize
  • IPHE Technical Achievement Award 2006 (Lyon / France)
  • International Award Expo 2005 (Japan)
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