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A joint research team, affiliated with UNIST has introduced the Hybrid-Solid Electrolysis Cell (Hybrid-SOEC) system with highest reported electrochemical performance in hydrogen production. The proposed system has attracted much attention as a new promising option for the cost-effective and highly-efficient hydrogen production, as it shows excellent performance compared with other water-electrolysis systems.
This breakthrough has been led by Professor Guntae Kim in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST in collaboration with Professor Tak-Hyoung Lim of Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) and Professor Jeeyoung Shin of Sookmyung Women's University.
A solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) consists of two electrodes and an electrolyte that are all in solid-state. They are strongly desired as novel candidates for the hydrogen production, as they require no need to replenish lost electrolytes, while eliminating the corrosion problems. Besides, SOECs also operate at relatively high temperatures (700-1000 °C), which helps to offer reduced electrical energy consumption.
Professor Kim and his research team have been seeking ways to improve energy efficiency of hydrogen production, using SOEC. In the study, the research team has demonstrated the novel concept of Hybrid-SOEC based on the mixed ionic conducting electrolyte, allowing water electrolysis to be occurred at both hydrogen and air electrodes.
[...] The layered perovskite with excellent electrochemical properties was used as the electrode of Hybrid-SOEC. By adding an excellent electrode material on mixed ionic conducting electrolyte, resulting in enhanced electrochemical performance. As a result, the corresponding yields of hydrogen produced were 1.9 L per hour at a cell voltage of 1.5 V at 700 °C. This is four times higher hydrogen production efficiency than the existing high-efficient water electrolytic cells.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by FatPhil on Wednesday December 27 2017, @11:25PM (3 children)
To get funding, the story was "to generate hydrogen, which could be used as an alternative fuel".
When I heard he was using temperatures well over 1000C, I asked how efficient the process was (he knew I had a moderate scientific background, and had no intentions to try to bullshit), he responded "laughably bad".
"Will you ever come even anywhere close to unity?"
"Not in a million years!"
I was a hard-working taxpayer. His funding came from the government. I was also the one subsidising his rent.
Did I laugh along with him when he guffawed out his "Not in a million years!"? Take a guess...
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 28 2017, @12:35AM
I'm of mixed opinions about this. On one hand, if he's trying to use fraud or something else to trick money from others, it's shameful and they should be shamed. On the other hand, most basic research doesn't have very much obvious immediate practical use, and I think basic research is substantially underfunded in general.
This "not in a million years" could inspire something something which is "not in a thousand years," which in turn inspires something for the "maybe in 20 years with dedicated funding" which turns into a "getting electricity is easy; just plug your lamp into the mains." Or it could turn into a flop dead-end. I think it's worth at least some effort to try out... certainly more than another scanner in the airport or another subsidy to (insert industry here).
(Score: 3, Informative) by Aiwendil on Thursday December 28 2017, @08:12AM (1 child)
Immediate and efficient use of high temperature chemistry is a good source for laughs, but if you hope that politicians will allow the build of new nuclear into 2035 then it makes sense for researchers to cover it - some nuclear designs allow for output heat well into this region (and up to about 750c we can actually build it with today's materials) (and also allows for brayton cycle turbines).
Kinda looking forward to when the enviornmentalists realise that the only good way to get clean hydrogen is with nuclear.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/non-power-nuclear-applications/industry/nuclear-process-heat-for-industry.aspx [world-nuclear.org] is worth skimming through for a quick primer of different options that opens at what temperatures and which reactors can be used for it.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday December 28 2017, @08:59AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves