Direct solar photocatalytic hydrogen generation with CPC photoreactors: System development. (1st September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wei, Qingyu; Yang, Yan; Hou, Junyi; Liu, Huan; Cao, Fei; Zhao, Liang
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 153(2017)
• Page Start: 215
• Page End: 223
• Publication Date: 2017-09-01
• Subjects: CPC reactor -- Solar photocatalytic hydrogen production system -- Solar photocatalysis -- Solar energy; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2017.05.064
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Highlights: A new CPC for solar photocatalytic hydrogen production was designed and estimated. A system including 76 units with area of 103.7 m 2 is developed and installed. Hydrogen productivity and cumulative generation are 7.14 NL/h and 42.84 NL/day. Daily hydrogen generation of the whole system is accumulated to be 160.34 NL. The average energy conversion efficiency is 0.087%. Abstract: A new compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) for solar photocatalytic hydrogen production has been designed and estimated in the present study. Parameters of the CPC, i.e., the orientation, the acceptance angle and the absorber tube diameter are designed according to the local meteorological conditions. A north-south orientated, adjustable, single axis tracking truncated CPC with the concentration ratio of 4.22 is designed as one unit. An experimental system including 76 units with the total light area of 103.7m 2 is developed and installed. The units have four different angles with inclination being 25°, 35°, 45° and 55°, respectively. The system is operated under the natural circulation condition for most of the time, with high pressure gas perturbing the sedimentary photocatalysts from time to time. NiS-Cdx Zn1−x S is used as the photocatalyst. Preliminary results show that the mean hydrogen productivity and cumulative hydrogen generation are 7.14 NL/h and 42.84 NL/day of the horizontal angle 25° row on a typical meteorological day. The average energy conversion efficiency is 0.087%. The daily hydrogen generation of the whole system is accumulated to be 160.34 NL.