Combination of Electro- and Radiochemical Processes for Hydrogen and Oxygen Obtaining

image_print
DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/pmach2023.04.059
Journal Journal of Mechanical Engineering – Problemy Mashynobuduvannia
Publisher Anatolii Pidhornyi Institute for Mechanical Engineering Problems
National Academy of Science of Ukraine
ISSN  2709-2984 (Print), 2709-2992 (Online)
Issue Vol. 26, no. 4, 2023 (December)
Pages 59-66
Cited by J. of Mech. Eng., 2023, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 59-66

 

Authors

Viktor V. Solovei, Anatolii Pidhornyi Institute of Mechanical Engineering Problems of NAS of Ukraine (2/10, Pozharskyi str., Kharkiv, 61046, Ukraine), e-mail: solovey@ipmach.kharkov.ua, ORCID:0000-0002-5444-8922

Janis Kleperis, Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (8, Kengaraga str., Riga, LV-1063, Latvia), e-mail: janis.kleperis@h2lv.eu, ORCID: 0000-0002-1463-902X

Mykola M. Zipunnikov, Anatolii Pidhornyi Institute of Mechanical Engineering Problems of NAS of Ukraine (2/10, Pozharskyi str., Kharkiv, 61046, Ukraine), e-mail: zipunnikov_n@ukr.net, ORCID: 0000-0002-0579-2962

 

Abstract

It is shown that increase in the hydrogen production process efficiency can be ensured by integrating radiochemical and electrochemical processes. In this case, the obtained effect depends not only on the direct radiolysis of water, but also on the involvement of the ionizing radiation energy in the electrolysis process for the excitation of water molecules that undergo electrolysis, which leads to a decrease in the consumption of electricity for the decomposition of its gaseous components. An analysis of the main factors influencing the reduction of electricity consumption during electrolysis is presented, and the affinity of the spectra of radical ions involved in the radiation and electrochemical processes of water decomposition is shown. As a result of radiation exposure, the most energy-intensive stage of water decomposition, associated with the breaking of intermolecular bonds and the formation of active particles involved in the electrochemical process, begins. It was established that the formation of hydrogen increases due to the addition of its direct output during radiolysis and indirect production during electrolysis, initiated by the activation effects caused by ionizing radiation. It is shown that in order to increase the direct radiolytic yield of hydrogen, elements containing nanosized zirconium dioxide powder should be placed in the interelectrode space of the electrolyzer. It has also been proven that the irradiation of zirconium dioxide placed in water leads to a 4-fold increase in the yield of hydrogen compared to the option of irradiating pure water. To increase the energy potential utilization coefficient of nuclear fuel at NPPs, it is expedient to use the energy of fuel elements located in spent nuclear fuel storage pools for the application of the proposed technology. This will ensure the utilization of the ionizing radiation energy, which in existing technologies is irretrievably lost, because it is discharged in the form of low-temperature thermal emissions into the environment, which leads to thermal pollution of the atmosphere.

 

Keywords: hydrogen, electrolysis, spent fuel elements, energy, water molecules.

 

Full text: Download in PDF

 

References

  1. Horbachov, A. K. (2002). Tekhnichna elektrokhimiia [Technical electrochemistry]. Part 1. Elektrokhimichni vyrobnytstva khimichnykh produktiv [Electrochemical production of chemical products]: A textbook by Bayrachnyy, B. I. (ed.). Kharkiv: OJSC “Prapor” Publ., 254 p. (in Ukrainian).
  2. Kozin, L. F. & Volkov, S. V. (2002). Vodorodnaya energetika i ekologiya [Hydrogen energy and ecology]. Kyiv: Naukova dumka, 334 p. (in Russian).
  3. Solovey, V., Zipunnikov, M., Shevchenko, A., Vorobjova, I., & Kotenko, A. (2018). Energy effective membrane-less technology for high pressure hydrogen electrochemical generation. French-Ukrainian Journal of Chemistry, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 151–156. https://doi.org/10.17721/fujcV6I1P151-156.
  4. Shpilrayn, E. E., Malyshenko, S. P., & Kuleshov, G. G. (1984). Vvedeniye v vodorodnuyu energetiku [Introduction to hydrogen energy]. By Legasov, V. A. (ed.). Moscow: Energoatomizdat, 264 p. (in Russian).
  5. Gamburg, D. Yu, Semenov, V. P., Dubovkin, N. F., & Smirnova, L. N. (1989). Vodorod. Svoystva, polucheniye, khraneniye, transportirovaniye, primeneniye [Hydrogen. Properties, obtaining, storage, transportation, application]. Moscow: Khimiya, 672 p. (in Russian).
  6. Dzantiyev, B. G., Yermakov, A. N., & Popov, V. N. (1979). O vozmozhnosti kombinirovannogo ispolzovaniya teplovoy i radiatsionnoy sostavlyayushchikh energii yadernogo reaktora dlya polucheniya vodoroda iz vody [On the possibility of combined use of thermal and radiation energy components of a nuclear reactor to produce hydrogen from water]. Voprosy atomnoy nauki i tekhniki. Seriya: Atomno-vodorodnaya energetika – Problems of atomic science and technology. Series: Nuclear-hydrogen energy, iss. 1 (5), pp. 86–96 (in Russian).
  7. Kalashnikov, N. A., Krasnoshtanov, V. F., Legasov, V. A., & Rusanov, V. D. (1981). O vozmozhnosti primeneniya radioliznykh protsessov v atomno- vodorodnoy energetike [On the possibility of using radiolysis processes in nuclear-hydrogen energy]. Voprosy atomnoy nauki i tekhniki. Seriya: Atomno-vodorodnaya energetika – Problems of atomic science and technology. Series: Nuclear-hydrogen energy, iss. 1 (8), pp. 63–66 (in Russian).
  8. Cecal, A., Hauta, O., Macovei, A., Popovici, E., Rusu, I., & Melniciuc-Puica, N. (2008). Hydrogen yield from water radiolysis in the presence of some pillared clays. Revue Roumaine de Chimie, vol. 53, no. 9, pp. 875–880.
  9. Pikaev, A. K. & Ershov, B. G. (1967). Primary products of the radiolysis of water and their reactivity. Russian Chemical Reviews, vol. 36, iss. 8, pp. 602–620. https://doi.org/10.1070/RC1967v036n08ABEH001675.
  10. Paige Abel, E., Clause, H. K., & Severin, G. W. (2020). Radiolysis and radionuclide production in a flowing-water target during fast 40Ca20+ irradiation. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 158, paper ID 109049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109049.
  11. Ershov, B. G. & Gordeev, A. V. (2008). A model for radiolysis of water and aqueous solutions of H2, H2O2 and O2. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, vol. 77, iss. 8, pp. 928–935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2007.12.005.
  12. Elliot, A. J. & Bartels, D. M. (2009). The reaction set, rate constants and g-values for the simulation of the radiolysis of light water over the range 20 deg to 350 deg C based on information available in 2008. Canada, Mississauga: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, 160 p.
  13. Petrik, N. G., Alexandrov, A. B., & Vall, A. I. (2001). Interfacial energy transfer during gamma radiolysis of water on the surface of ZrO2 and some other oxides. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 105, iss. 25, pp. 5935–5944. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp004440o.
  14. LaVerne, J. A. (2005). H2 formation from the radiolysis of liquid water with zirconium. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 109, iss. 12, pp. 5395–5397. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp044167g.
  15. LaVerne, J. A. & Tondon, L. (2002). H2 production in the radiolysis of water on CeO2 and ZrO2. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 106, iss. 2, pp. 380–386. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp013098s.
  16. Rusanov, A. V., Solovey, V. V., Lototskyy, M. V. (2020). Thermodynamic features of metal hydride thermal sorption compressors and perspectives of their application in hydrogen liquefaction systems. Journal of Physics: Energy, vol. 2, no. 2, paper ID 021007. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ab7bf4.
  17. Agayev, T. N. & Imanova, G. T. (2015). Radiatsionno-termokataliticheskiye protsessy polucheniya vodoroda iz vody v prisutstvii nano-ZrO2 [Radiation-thermocatalytic processes of hydrogen production from water in the presence of nano-ZrO2]: Collection of reports of the VI Russian Conference (with the invitation of specialists from the CIS countries) “Actual problems of high energy chemistry”, Moscow, October 20–25, 2015. Moscow: Granitsa Publ., pp. 110–114 (in Russian).
  18. Solovey, V., Nguyen Tien, K., Zipunnikov, M., Shevchenko, A. (2018). Improvement of the membrane- less electrolysis technology for hydrogen and oxygen generation. French-Ukrainian Journal of Chemistry, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 73–79. https://doi.org/10.17721/fujcV6I2P73-79.
  19. Rusanov, A. V., Solovey, V. V., & Zipunnikov, M. M. (2021). Improvement of the membrane-free electrolysis process of hydrogen and oxygen production. Naukovyi visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, no. 1, pp. 117–122. https://doi.org/10.33271/nvngu/2021-1/117.
  20. Kleperis, J., Solovey, V. V., Fylenko, V. V., Vanags, M., Volkovs, A., Grinberga, L., Shevchenko, A., & Zipunnikov, M. (2016). Self-sufficient PV-H2 alternative energy objects. Journal of Mechanical Engineering – Problemy Mashinobuduvannia, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 62–68. https://doi.org/10.15407/pmach2016.04.062.
  21. Rahn, F. J., Adamantiades, A. G., Kenton, J. E., & Braun, C. (1984). A guide to nuclear power technology: A resource for decision making. New York: Wiley, 986 p.

 

Received 21 July2023

Published 30 December 2023