PRODUCTION OF HCL BY A CHLORINE-STEAM PHOTO/THERMOCHEMICAL REACTION: A SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY FOR HCL ELECTROLYSIS

ELECTROLYSIS OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE (HCL) SOLUTION TO FORM HYDROGEN AND CHLORINE IS OF INTEREST IN APPLICATIONS SUCH ASSOLAR ENERGY STORAGE, UTILITY LOAD LEVELING, AND COMMERCIAL HYDROGEN PRODUCTION. IN THE LATTER CASE THE CHLORINE GENERATED MUST BE CONVERTED BACK TO HCL FOR CONTINUED USE IN THE PROCESS. THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTGATE A GAS-PHASE REACTION BETWEEN CHLORINE AND WATER TO GIVE HCL AND OXYGEN USING A SOLAR-THERMAL-PHOTOCHEMICAL PROCESS. INSUFFICIENT DATA ARE AVAILABLE CONCERNING PRODUCT YIELDS AND POSSIBLE BYPRODUCTS UNDER SOLAR-THERMAL (OR COMBINED SOLAR, THERMAL, AND PHOTOCHEMICAL) CONDITIONS, WHICH COULD BE DISADVANTAGEOUS IN A PRACTICAL INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM. THE PHASEI OBJECTIVE IS TO DEMONSTRATE AND OPTIMIZE THE CONVERSION OFCHLORINE TO HCL AND OXYGEN UNDER THE CONDITIONS MENTIONED ABOVE. IF THE CONVERSION CAN BE DEMONSTRATED, THE MODERATE TEMPERATURE, PHOTO-ASSISTED GAS-PHASE REACTION WILL BE DESIRABLE IN PRACTICE, BECAUSE IT WILL ENABLE THE SYSTEM TO BE DRIVEN ENTIRELY BY USING CONCENTRATING SOLAR TROUGH COLLECTORS.