Published: 15th Feb, 2021
Context
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi have come up with a way to generate clean fuel hydrogen from water at a low-cost, which is a significant step towards efforts across the globe that are being made to look for cleaner and greener energy sources.
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A fuel cell works much like an electric battery, converting chemical energy into electrical energy. |
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What is hydrogen?
- Hydrogen is a clean alternative to methane, also known as natural gas.
- It's the most abundant chemical element, estimated to contribute 75% of the mass of the universe.
Key-highlights of the research
- The researchers have successfully split water by a process known as Sulphur-Iodine (SI) thermochemical hydrogen cycle to generate low-cost, clean hydrogen fuel for industrial consumption.
- The thermo-chemical hydrogen cycle for splitting water offers a practical means of generating hydrogen as a fuel and also oxygen as a byproduct.
- Hence, it can be considered favourably for the commercial production of hydrogen on a large scale, in the near future.
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Sulphur-Iodine (SI) thermochemical hydrogen cycle
I2 + SO2 + 2 H2O heat→ 2 HI + H2SO4 (120 °C) The HI is then separated by distillation or liquid/liquid gravitic separation. 2H2SO4 heat→ 2 SO2 + 2 H2O + O2 (830 °C (1,530 °F)) The water, SO2 and residual H2SO4 must be separated from the oxygen byproduct by condensation. 2HI → I2 + H2 (450 °C) Iodine and any accompanying water or SO2 are separated by condensation, and the hydrogen product remains as a gas. Net reaction: 2 H2O → 2 H2 + O2
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