The ZnFe2O4/(ZnO+Fe3O4) system for H2 production using concentrated solar energy

The performance of the reactor for the solar hydrogen production by two-step water splitting with the ZnFe2O4/(ZnO + Fe3O4) 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 ZnFe2O4 in Reactor (Beam) changes to Fe3O4. In Step (H-2), the H-2 gas is generated by the H2O decomposition reaction with Fe3O4 and the ZnO which is trapped in Reactor (Trap). The two solid phases (Fe(3)o(4) phase and ZnO phase) in Reactor (Trap) change to ZnFe2O4 during this H-2 generation step. Then the reactor is turned at an angle of 180degrees [Reactor (Beam) and Reactor (Trap) are thus interchanged] and the same steps can be repeated. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.