An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water
Hydrogen production from water electrolysis is one of the most promising approaches for the production of green H<sub>2</sub>, a fundamental asset for the decarbonization of the energy cycle and industrial processes. Seawater is the most abundant water source on Earth, and it should be t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/453 |
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| author | Jesús González-Cobos Bárbara Rodríguez-García Mabel Torréns Òscar Alonso-Almirall Martí Aliaguilla David Galí David Gutiérrez-Tauste Magí Galindo-Anguera Felipe A. Garcés-Pineda José Ramón Galán-Mascarós |
| author_facet | Jesús González-Cobos Bárbara Rodríguez-García Mabel Torréns Òscar Alonso-Almirall Martí Aliaguilla David Galí David Gutiérrez-Tauste Magí Galindo-Anguera Felipe A. Garcés-Pineda José Ramón Galán-Mascarós |
| author_sort | Jesús González-Cobos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hydrogen production from water electrolysis is one of the most promising approaches for the production of green H<sub>2</sub>, a fundamental asset for the decarbonization of the energy cycle and industrial processes. Seawater is the most abundant water source on Earth, and it should be the feedstock for these new technologies. However, commercial electrolyzers still need ultrapure water. The debate over the advantages and disadvantages of direct sea water electrolysis when compared with the implementation of a distillation/purification process before the electrolysis stage is building in the relevant research. However, this debate will remain open for some time, essentially because there are no seawater electrolyser technologies with which to compare the modular approach. In this study, we attempted to build and validate an autonomous sea water electrolyzer able to produce high-purity green hydrogen (>90%) from seawater. We were able to solve most of the problems that natural seawater electrolyses imposes (high corrosion, impurities, etc.), with decisions based on simplicity and sustainability, and those issues that are yet to be overcome were rationally discussed in view of future electrolyzer designs. Even though the performance we achieved may still be far from industrial standards, our results demonstrate that direct seawater electrolysis with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of ≈7% can be achieved with common, low-cost materials and affordable fabrication methods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a4c8e6f19754f5d9172d55f3d54847e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a4c8e6f19754f5d9172d55f3d54847e2023-11-23T18:12:01ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412022-02-0114345310.3390/w14030453An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea WaterJesús González-Cobos0Bárbara Rodríguez-García1Mabel Torréns2Òscar Alonso-Almirall3Martí Aliaguilla4David Galí5David Gutiérrez-Tauste6Magí Galindo-Anguera7Felipe A. Garcés-Pineda8José Ramón Galán-Mascarós9Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans, 16, 43007 Tarragona, SpainInstitute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans, 16, 43007 Tarragona, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovia i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans, 26, 43007 Tarragona, SpainLEITAT Technological Center, C/de la Innovació 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainLEITAT Technological Center, C/de la Innovació 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainLEITAT Technological Center, C/de la Innovació 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainLEITAT Technological Center, C/de la Innovació 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainLEITAT Technological Center, C/de la Innovació 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainInstitute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans, 16, 43007 Tarragona, SpainInstitute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans, 16, 43007 Tarragona, SpainHydrogen production from water electrolysis is one of the most promising approaches for the production of green H<sub>2</sub>, a fundamental asset for the decarbonization of the energy cycle and industrial processes. Seawater is the most abundant water source on Earth, and it should be the feedstock for these new technologies. However, commercial electrolyzers still need ultrapure water. The debate over the advantages and disadvantages of direct sea water electrolysis when compared with the implementation of a distillation/purification process before the electrolysis stage is building in the relevant research. However, this debate will remain open for some time, essentially because there are no seawater electrolyser technologies with which to compare the modular approach. In this study, we attempted to build and validate an autonomous sea water electrolyzer able to produce high-purity green hydrogen (>90%) from seawater. We were able to solve most of the problems that natural seawater electrolyses imposes (high corrosion, impurities, etc.), with decisions based on simplicity and sustainability, and those issues that are yet to be overcome were rationally discussed in view of future electrolyzer designs. Even though the performance we achieved may still be far from industrial standards, our results demonstrate that direct seawater electrolysis with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of ≈7% can be achieved with common, low-cost materials and affordable fabrication methods.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/453solar hydrogenseawater electrolysisPrussian bluenon-noble catalystsprototype design and construction |
| spellingShingle | Jesús González-Cobos Bárbara Rodríguez-García Mabel Torréns Òscar Alonso-Almirall Martí Aliaguilla David Galí David Gutiérrez-Tauste Magí Galindo-Anguera Felipe A. Garcés-Pineda José Ramón Galán-Mascarós An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water Water solar hydrogen seawater electrolysis Prussian blue non-noble catalysts prototype design and construction |
| title | An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water |
| title_full | An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water |
| title_fullStr | An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water |
| title_short | An Autonomous Device for Solar Hydrogen Production from Sea Water |
| title_sort | autonomous device for solar hydrogen production from sea water |
| topic | solar hydrogen seawater electrolysis Prussian blue non-noble catalysts prototype design and construction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/453 |
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