Thermochemical water-splitting cycle, bench-scale investigations, and process engineering. Final report, February 1977-December 31, 1981

This document is an annual progress report of DOE-sponsored process development work on the General Atomic sulfur-iodine thermochemical water-splitting cycle. The work consists of laboratory bench-scale investigations and process engineering design studies. A bench scale system, consisting of three subunits, has been planned to study the cycle under continuous flow conditions. The design of subunit I, which models the main solution reaction and product separation, and subunit II, which models the concentration and decomposition of sulfuric acid, is presented and discussed. Progress on the construction and operation of subunit I is described. The process engineering addresses the flowsheet design of a large-scale production process consisting of four chemical sections (I through IV) and one helium heat supply section (V). The completed designs for sections I (main solution reaction) and II (sulfuric acid-water separation and sulfuric acid decomposition) are given along with a partial design for section IV (hydrogen iodide decomposition and hydrogen recovery), which is not yet complete. The appendix contains a description of the process simulator computer code that is being used to aid the process design.