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Conference Article: Hydrogen production by high-temperature electrolysis of steam

Hino, R.; Miyamoto, Y. (Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan))

Abstract

Hydrogen production by high-temperature electrolysis of steam is a reverse process of a solid oxide fuel cell under development in the world. It is a simple and efficient process to produce hydrogen from water theoretically. In JAERI, bench-scale tests using an electrolysis tube have been conducted to investigate electrolysis characteristics and to accumulate operational know-how for a plant with is a utility system of high temperature heat from high temperature gas-cooled reactors. An electrolysis tube was fabricated by connecting 12 electrolysis cells in series. The cell consisted of multi-layers of an electrolyte and electrodes coated on a base ceramic tube. The electrolyte layer was made of yttria-stabilized zirconia. In the test, steam was supplied with argon gas as a carrier gas and DC power to the electrolyte through the electrodes. Hydrogen production rate increased with the applied power and the electrolysis temperature. The maximum production rate was 7.6 NL/h at 950 deg. C and the applied power of 27W.

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key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:119-124