Conceptual design and feasibility assessment of photoreactors for solar energy storage

The experimental results of testing with different irradiation power are compared and used as a basis for the feasibility assessment and conceptual design of a photoreforming reactor. The highest H-2 productivity (0.276 mol H-2/h kg(cat)) was achieved with 1 g/L of 1 wt% Au/TiO2 P25 catalyst by using a 113 W/m(2) UVA irradiation. Insufficient hydrogen productivity for practical deployment was achieved, following reactor design. However, the comparison with the state of the art evidenced that also the energy storage potential of the literature photocatalysts do not allow a short term feasibility of the proposed technology. The potential productivity of hydrogen, as well as solar energy storage efficiency are discussed both for the present experimental values and for the best results in the literature.