Electrolysis of hydrogen chloride (HCI) solution to form hydrogen and chlorine is of interest in applications such as solar energy storage, utility load leveling, and commercial hydrogen production. In the latter case the chlorine generated must be converted back to HCI for continued use in the process. This project is to investigate a gas-pbase reaction between chlorine and water to give HCI and oxygen using a solar-thermal-pbotochemical process. Insufficient data are available concerning product yields and possible byproducts under solar thermal (or combined solar, thermal, and photochemical) conditions, which could be disadvantageous in a practical industrial system. The Phase I objective is to demonstrate and optimize the conversion of chlorine to HCI and oxygen under the conditions mentioned above. If the conversion can be demonstrated, the moderate temperature, photo-assisted gas-phase reaction will be desirable in practice, because it will enable the system to be driven entirely by using concentrating solar trough collectors.Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:Development of an efficient photothermochemical chlorine-steam reaction for formation of HCI from chlorine will make practical a new class of processes for industrial hydrogen production. This development may also prove useful in an energy storage and utility load leveling system.
