Process for the thermochemical production of hydrogen

US4089940A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• General Atomics · US

Inventors

• John H. Norman · San Jose, US
• John L. Russell · Shoreview, US
• John T. Porter, II · Del Mar, US
• Kenneth H. McCorkle, Jr. · Del Mar, US
• Thomas S. Roemer · Irvine, US
• Robert John Sharp · Barnstaple, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 8, 1977
• Grant date: May 16, 1978
• Expiry date: Apr 8, 1997

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/36
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Hydrogen is thermochemically produced from water in a cycle wherein a first reaction produces hydrogen iodide and H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 by the reaction of iodine, sulfur dioxide and water under conditions which cause two distinct aqueous phases to be formed, i.e., a lighter sulfuric acid-bearing phase and a heavier hydrogen iodide-bearing phase. After separation of the two phases, the heavier phase containing most of the hydrogen iodide is treated, e.g., at a high temperature, to decompose the hydrogen iodide and recover hydrogen and iodine. The H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 is pyrolyzed to recover sulfur dioxide and produce oxygen.