Copper–chlorine cycle

The Cu–Cl process can be linked with nuclear plants or other heat sources such as solar and industrial waste heat to potentially achieve higher efficiencies, lower environmental impact and lower costs of hydrogen production than any other conventional technology.

Through GIF, over a dozen countries around the world are developing the next generation of nuclear reactors for highly efficient production of both electricity and hydrogen.

The four reactions in the Cu–Cl cycle are listed as follows:[2][3] Atomic Energy of Canada Limited has demonstrated experimentally a CuCl electrolyzer in which hydrogen is produced electrolytically at the cathode and Cu(I) is oxidized to Cu(II) at the anode, thereby combining above steps 1 and 4 to eliminate the intermediate production and subsequent transport of solid copper.

In comparison with other thermochemical cycles, the Cu–Cl process requires relatively low temperatures of up to 530 °C (990 °F).

Solids handling between processes and corrosive working fluids present unique challenges for the engineering equipment development.