Review and evaluation of clean hydrogen production by the copper–chlorine thermochemical cycle

This paper focuses on the various development areas of the copper-chlorine (Cu–Cl) cycle for hydrogen production which have been actively advanced over the past decade. Recent developments by the international research groups are reported for the individual processes and reactor designs within the Cu–Cl cycle. Accurate prediction of thermo-physical and thermo-chemical properties is critical for the reliable modeling and design of the Cu–Cl cycle. The latest engineering scale-up developments, particularly for the electrolysis and hydrolysis reactors, are presented. New findings on the numerical analysis and experimental measurements are also presented. Recommendations are reported on heat exchanger designs compatible with the chemical compounds for heat recovery and system integration. Furthermore, the scaled-up laboratory equipment for each step of Cu–Cl cycle, and an integrated facility (with a capacity of 100 g H2/day) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) are presented.