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A thermally synergistic photo-electrochemical hydrogen generator operating under concentrated solar irradiation

Author

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  • Saurabh Tembhurne

    (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • Fredy Nandjou

    (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • Sophia Haussener

    (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Abstract

Achieving high current densities while maintaining high energy conversion efficiency is one of the main challenges for enhancing the competitiveness of photo-electrochemical devices. We describe a concept that allows this challenge to be overcome by operating under concentrated solar irradiation (up to 474 kW m−2), using thermal integration, mass transport optimization and a close electronic integration between the photoabsorber and electrocatalyst. We quantify the increase in the theoretical maximum efficiencies resulting from thermal integration, and experimentally validate the concept using a III–V-based photoabsorber and IrRuOx–Pt-based electrocatalysts. We reach current densities higher than 0.88 A cm−2 at calculated solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies above 15%. Device performance, dynamic response and stability are investigated, demonstrating the ability to produce hydrogen stably under varying conditions for more than two hours. The current density and output power (27 W) achieved provide a pathway for device scalability aimed towards the large-scale deployment of photo-electrochemical hydrogen production.

Suggested Citation

  • Saurabh Tembhurne & Fredy Nandjou & Sophia Haussener, 2019. "A thermally synergistic photo-electrochemical hydrogen generator operating under concentrated solar irradiation," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(5), pages 399-407, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:4:y:2019:i:5:d:10.1038_s41560-019-0373-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-019-0373-7
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Caron & Marc Röger & Michael Wullenkord, 2020. "Selection of Solar Concentrator Design Concepts for Planar Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Devices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-31, October.
    2. Hong, Jeongsoo & Suzuki, Norihiro & Nakata, Kazuya & Terashima, Chiaki & Kim, Kyunghwan & Fujishima, Akira & Katsumata, Ken-ichi, 2021. "Hydrogen production using iron oxyhydroxide with light irradiation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1284-1289.
    3. Austin M. K. Fehr & Ayush Agrawal & Faiz Mandani & Christian L. Conrad & Qi Jiang & So Yeon Park & Olivia Alley & Bor Li & Siraj Sidhik & Isaac Metcalf & Christopher Botello & James L. Young & Jacky E, 2023. "Integrated halide perovskite photoelectrochemical cells with solar-driven water-splitting efficiency of 20.8%," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Li, Jieyang & Hu, Jinpeng & Lin, Meng, 2022. "A flexibly controllable high-flux solar simulator for concentrated solar energy research from extreme magnitudes to uniform distributions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    5. Li, Jieyang & Lin, Meng, 2021. "Unified design guidelines for high flux solar simulator with controllable flux vector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    6. Isaac Holmes-Gentle & Saurabh Tembhurne & Clemens Suter & Sophia Haussener, 2023. "Kilowatt-scale solar hydrogen production system using a concentrated integrated photoelectrochemical device," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(6), pages 586-596, June.
    7. Sonya Calnan & Stefan Aschbrenner & Fuxi Bao & Erno Kemppainen & Iris Dorbandt & Rutger Schlatmann, 2019. "Prospects for Hermetic Sealing of Scaled-Up Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generators for Reliable and Risk Free Operation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-29, November.
    8. Feng Liang & Roel van de Krol & Fatwa F. Abdi, 2024. "Assessing elevated pressure impact on photoelectrochemical water splitting via multiphysics modeling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Zhu, Yizhou & Ma, Benchi & He, Baichuan & Ma, Xinyu & Jing, Dengwei, 2023. "Liquid spherical lens as an effective auxiliary optical unit for CPV/T system with remarkable hydrogen production efficiency," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    10. Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu & Kishore Sridharan & Sanjay Nagarajan & Sengeni Ananthraj & Peter Robertson & Moritz F. Kuehnel & Ángel Irabien & Mercedes Maroto-Valer, 2022. "Solar Hydrogen Fuel Generation from Wastewater—Beyond Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: A Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, October.

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