Radiative heat transfer and catalyst performance in a large-scale continuous flow photoreactor for hydrogen production

▸ We designed and analyzed a photocatalytic water-splitting system for continuous operation at a large pilot-plant scale. ▸ The optimization of photon transfer and mass transfer processes is accomplished. ▸ Energy and exergy analyses and related parametric studies are performed. ▸ Radiation from the reactor surface due to reflection and scattering has the largest contribution to exergy losses. ▸ The energy and exergy efficiencies of the system increase more than 1.5 times by doubling the catalyst concentration.