Nuclear Hydrogen Production Based on Sulfuric Acid Decomposition Process

A thermochemical nuclear hydrogen producing process has been developed and evaluated from thermodynamics and engineering points of view. The cycle is based on sulfuric acid decomposition process developed earlier, which produces mechanical power using additional primary energy as well as excess process heat generated within the cycle. The sulfuric acid decomposition process has been closed using a sulfur dioxide electrochemical oxidizer cell and feasibility of its energy self-sufficient operation has been demonstrated. The first law efficiency of the cycle has been determined as 34.14 percent and the second law efficiency as 43.32 percent. It is found that the modified sulfuric acid decomposition section is improved by 14.8 percent compared to the basic process used in the sulfur family cycles. For a plant size producing 8.94 × 106 GJ H2 per year, the typical levelized costs of hydrogen are $20.15(1988) per GJ energy and $24.47(1988) per GJ exergy.