SANDIA REPORT SAND2011-3622 Unlimited Release Printed May 2011 Solar Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Research (STCH) Thermochemical Cycle Selection and Investment Priority Robert Perret Prepared by Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 and Livermore, California 94550 Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. Approved for public release; further dissemination unlimited. Issued by Sandia National Laboratories, operated for the United States Department of Energy by Sandia Corporation. NOTICE: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. 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This report has been reproduced directly from the best available copy. Available to DOE and DOE contractors from U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information P.O. Box 62 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Telephone: (865) 576-8401 Facsimile: (865) 576-5728 E-Mail: [email protected] Online ordering: http://www.osti.gov/bridge Available to the public from U.S. Department of Commerce National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Rd. Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: (800) 553-6847 Facsimile: (703) 605-6900 E-Mail: [email protected] Online order: http://www.ntis.gov/help/ordermethods.asp?loc=7-4-0#online 2 SAND2011-3622 Unlimited Release Printed May 2011 Solar Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Research (STCH) Thermochemical Cycle Selection and Investment Priority Robert Perret The DOE–EERE Fuel Cell Technologies Program Sandia National Laboratories P.O. Box 969 Livermore, CA. 94551-0969 Abstract Eight cycles in a coordinated set of projects for Solar Thermochemical Cycles for Hydrogen production (STCH) were self-evaluated for the DOE-EERE Fuel Cell Technologies Program at a Working Group Meeting on October 8 and 9, 2008. This document reports the initial selection process for development investment in STCH projects, the evaluation process meant to reduce the number of projects as a means to focus resources on development of a few most-likely-to- succeed efforts, the obstacles encountered in project inventory reduction and the outcomes of the evaluation process. Summary technical status of the projects under evaluation is reported and recommendations identified to improve future project planning and selection activities. 3 Acknowledgements This report is made possible in whole due to the excellent work undertaken by the STCH Team comprised of scientists and engineers from Sandia National Laboratories, Argonne National Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, TIAX, LLC, the University of Colorado, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, General Atomics Corporation and its collaborators from the Weizmann Institute, and SAIC and its subcontractors from the Florida Solar Energy Center and Electrosynthesis, Inc. Data and analysis representing efforts by these team members will be found throughout this report. Support by the DOE-EERE Fuel Cell Technologies Program is gratefully acknowledged. Sandia National Laboratories has been generous in its technical support of drafting the document and its excellent recommendations for improving the document are gratefully acknowledged. The same gratitude is extended to staff members of the DOE-EERE Fuel Cell Technologies Program who ably assisted this author in navigating the complex stream of propriety associated with multiple sponsorship and Congressional authority. 4 Contents 1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 STCH Basis ............................................................................................................... 11 1.2 STCH Historical Summary ......................................................................................... 13 1.3 STCH Decision Framework ....................................................................................... 14 2 Cycle Inventory Development and Initial Selection ......................................................... 17 2.1 Economic Consideration ............................................................................................ 18 2.2 Solar Collector/Receiver Consideration ...................................................................... 19 2.3 Previous Level of Effort for Candidate Cycle ............................................................. 19 2.4 Safety and Environmental Consideration .................................................................... 20 3 Formal Cycle Evaluation and Research Prioritization .................................................... 28 4 Cycle Status Summaries and Path Forward Recommendations ..................................... 42 4.1 Sulfur Iodine .............................................................................................................. 42 4.2 Hybrid Sulfur ............................................................................................................. 50 4.3 Photolytic Sulfur Ammonia ........................................................................................ 55 4.4 Zinc Oxide ................................................................................................................. 59 4.5 Cadmium Oxide ......................................................................................................... 64 4.6 Sodium Manganese Cycle .......................................................................................... 71 4.7 Sodium Manganate .................................................................................................... 76 4.8 ALD Ferrite ............................................................................................................... 77 4.9 Hybrid Copper Chloride ............................................................................................. 80 5 Summary Remarks ........................................................................................................... 84 5.1 General Observations ................................................................................................. 84 5.2 Evaluation Outcomes ................................................................................................. 85 5.2.1 Sulfur Iodine ........................................................................................................ 86 5.2.2 Hybrid Sulfur ....................................................................................................... 86 5.2.3 Photolytic Sulfur Ammonia .................................................................................. 87 5.2.4 Zinc Oxide ........................................................................................................... 87 5.2.5 Cadmium Oxide ................................................................................................... 87 5.2.6 Sodium Manganese .............................................................................................. 88 5.2.7 Sodium Manganate .............................................................................................. 88 5.2.8 ALD Ferrite ......................................................................................................... 89 5.2.9 Hybrid Copper Chloride ....................................................................................... 89 Appendix A: Cycle Inventory Changes after the Evaluation ................................................ 98 Appendix B: Criteria Scores Established for the Four Solar Technologies ........................ 100 5 Figures Figure 1.1. Thermochemical cycle class examples. .................................................................. 13 Figure 4.1.1. Sulfur Iodine three-step cycle. ............................................................................ 42 Figure 4.1.2. Bayonet decomposition reactor designed by Sandia National Laboratories. ......... 43 Figure 4.1.3. Bayonet decomposition reactor manifold designed by Sandia National Laboratories. ........................................................................................................ 44 Figure 4.1.4. Schematic solar interface with the solid particle receiver with intermediate heat exchanger providing heated He gas to drive the decomposition reactor. ........ 45 Figure 4.1.5. Bunsen reaction flowsheet (section 1). ...............................................................