Hydrogen Production with High Temperature Solar Heat Thermochemical Cycle using CeO2/ZrO2Foam Device

Two-step water splitting thermochemical cycle with CeO2 foam device was investigated by using a solar simulator composed of 2.5 kW Xe-Arc lamp and mirror reflector. The hydrogen production of CeO2 foam device depending on reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step and Water-Decomposition step was analyzed, and the hydrogen production of CeO2 and NiFe2O4/ZrO2 foam devices was compared. As a result, the amount of reduced CeO2 considerably varies according to the reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step. and hydrogen production was not much when the amount of reduced CeO2 decreased even if the reaction temperature of Water-Decomposition step was high. Therefore, it is very important to keep the reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step high in two-step thermochemical cycle with CeO2.