Entropy production, efficiency, and economics in the thermochemical generation of synthetic fuels: II. The methanol water splitting cycle

The availability/heat penalty analysis described in our earlier paper [1] has been applied to the methanol-sulfuric acid water splitting cycle proposed by Schulten and Behr [2]. This four-reaction thermochemical process has been evaluated in terms of preliminary engineering design and economics by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the University of Kentucky and the CE-Lummus Co. [3]. The distribution of heat penalties induced by thermodynamic irreversibilities in the plant is shown, and the quantitative relationship among capital costs, production costs, heat penalties, and process efficiency is presented. The total thermal energy output of the nuclear reactor is the sum of the theoretical heat requirement and all the heat penalties in the plant. The costs, heat penalties and efficiency are also shown for the hybrid sulfuric acid process.