Hydrogen production from water using copper and barium hydroxide

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863431

Bamberger, Carlos E ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

A process for producing hydrogen comprises the step of reacting metallic Cu with Ba(OH).sub.2 in the presence of steam to produce hydrogen and BaCu.sub.2 O.sub.2. The BaCu.sub.2 O.sub.2 is reacted with H.sub.2 O to form Cu.sub.2 O and a Ba(OH).sub.2 product for recycle to the initial reaction step. Cu can be obtained from the Cu.sub.2 O product by several methods. In one embodiment the Cu.sub.2 O is reacted with HF solution to provide CuF.sub.2 and Cu. The CuF.sub.2 is reacted with H.sub.2 O to provide CuO and HF. CuO is decomposed to Cu.sub.2 O and O.sub.2. The HF, Cu and Cu.sub.2 O are recycled. In another embodiment the Cu.sub.2 O is reacted with aqueous H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solution to provide CuSO.sub.4 solution and Cu. The CuSO.sub.4 is decomposed to CuO and SO.sub.3. The CuO is decomposed to form Cu.sub.2 O and O.sub.2. The SO.sub.3 is dissolved to form H.sub.2 SO.sub.4. H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, Cu and Cu.sub.2 O are recycled. In another embodiment Cu.sub.2 O is decomposed electrolytically to Cu and O.sub.2. In another aspect of the invention, Cu is recovered from CuO by the steps of decomposing CuO to Cu.sub.2 O and O.sub.2, reacting the Cu.sub.2 O with aqueous HF solution to produce Cu and CuF.sub.2, reacting the CuF.sub.2 with H.sub.2 O to form CuO and HF, and recycling the CuO and HF to previous reaction steps.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4169884
• OSTI ID: 863431
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

hydrogen
production
water
copper
barium
hydroxide
process
producing
comprises
step
reacting
metallic
cu
oh
presence
steam
produce
bacu
reacted
form
product
recycle
initial
reaction
obtained
methods
embodiment
hf
solution
provide
cuf
cuo
decomposed
recycled
aqueous
cuso
dissolved
electrolytically
aspect
recovered
steps
decomposing
recycling
previous
produce hydrogen
barium hydroxide
producing hydrogen
hydrogen production
reaction step
reacting metallic
produce cu
reaction steps
hydrogen comprises
hf solution
form cu
aqueous hf
metallic cu
initial reaction
/423/75/205/