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 O2 releasing step using concentrated solar beam and the H2 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 O2 releasing [Step (O2)] and H2 generation steps [Step (H2)]. In Step (O2), 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 (H2), the H2 gas is generated by the H2O decomposition reaction with Fe3O4 and the ZnO which is trapped in Reactor (Trap). The two solid phases (Fe3O4 phase and ZnO phase) in Reactor (Trap) change to ZnFe2O4 during this H2 generation step. Then the reactor is turned at an angle of 180° [Reactor (Beam) and Reactor (Trap) are thus interchanged] and the same steps can be repeated.