HYTHEC: An EC funded search for a long term massive hydrogen production route using solar and nuclear technologies

The objective of HYTHEC—HYdrogen THErmo-chemical Cycles—is to investigate the effective potential for massive hydrogen production of the S–I thermo-chemical cycle, and to compare it with the hybrid S Westinghouse (WH) cycle. The project aims to conduct flow-sheeting, industrial scale-up, safety and costs modelling, to improve the fundamental knowledge and efficiency of the S–I cycle H2 production step, and to investigate a solar primary energy source for the H2SO4 decomposition step which is common to both the cycles. Initial reference flowsheets have been prepared and compared. First data and results are available now on the coupling of S–I cycle with a very high temperature nuclear reactor, scale-up to industrial level and cost estimation, improvement of the knowledge of the HIx mixture (S–I cycle) and membrane separation, splitting of sulphuric acid using a solar furnace, and plant concepts regarding the WH process.