Aspects of Hydrogen Co-generation Using a Thermochemical Cycle Linked to a Supercritical Water-cooled Nuclear Reactor

Abstract

Various methods for large-scale hydrogen production are currently being researched worldwide. Thermochemical cycles such as the copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) cycle operate at high temperatures to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen through recycled intermediate compounds. Generation IV nuclear reactor concepts, specifically SuperCritical Water-cooled nuclear Reactors (SCWRs), can be used to supply process-heat requirements for the Cu-Cl cycle. The coolant used in SCWRs is light water at supercritical conditions with pressures of approximately 25 MPa and a reactor outlet temperature of 625°C. A fraction of coolant can be diverted to heat exchangers located at select locations in the reactor loop to provide the required high-temperature heat to the thermochemical cycle for hydrogen co-generation. This paper discusses some aspects of the Cu-Cl cycle along with the development of a link to a SCWR.