Investigation of Dissolution of Cuprous Chloride in Aqueous Hydrochloric Acid Solution with Application to Hydrogen Production Technologies

Abstract

Fossil-fuel-based methods of production, transformation and use of energy are causing environmental concerns such as ozone depletion, acid rain and climate change while depleting the earth of its resources. Sustainable alternatives for energy transformation are being sought and a hydrogen economy is a potential avenue. The thermochemical copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) cycle for water splitting into its constituents is a promising option to produce high quantities of hydrogen. One of the steps involved in the process of hydrogen production from water using the thermochemical Cu-Cl cycle is the dissolution of cuprous chloride particles in hydrochloric acid. The purpose of this study is to propose an experimental design to examine the dissolution of cuprous chloride in an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution in order to observe the reaction time and kinetics. This data will be used to develop an empirical model that correlates quantity of cuprous chloride, concentration of hydrochloric acid, electrical conductivity, and dissolution time using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Extrapolating the data gathered from the empirical model to an industrial scale will enable dissolution time prediction based on concentration and temperature for complex multiphase reactions.