Photocatalyst suspension reactor for solar fuel formation

A photocatalyst suspension reactor (100), comprising:

• a. a pool (110) containing a first portion of an electrolyte solution, wherein the electrolyte solution comprises redox shuttle molecules and a photocatalyst;
• and
• b. at least one tubular vessel partially submerged in the electrolyte solution, the tube comprising a floating portion (121) and a submerged portion (122),
• wherein the floating portion (121) comprises a transparent material configured to allow light to pass through and be minimally permeable to gasses,
• wherein the submerged portion (122) contains a second portion of the electrolyte solution, and comprises an ion bridge material permeable to the redox shuttle molecules and minimally permeable to the photocatalyst.

A photocatalyst suspension reactor (100) for solar fuel formation comprising:

• a. a pool (110) filled with a first portion of an electrolyte solution, having a rectangular shape;
• wherein the electrolyte solution comprises a solvent, a plurality of redox shuttle molecules, and a plurality of photocatalyst particles;
• b. a plurality of tubes (120) disposed on a surface of the pool (110), configured to partially float on a surface of the electrolyte solution, each tube of the plurality of tubes (120) comprising an upper half (121) and a lower half (122);
• wherein the upper half (121) comprises a transparent material configured to be minimally permeable to hydrogen gas and oxygen gas;
• wherein the lower half (122) is configured to be filled with a second portion of the electrolyte solution and comprises an ion bridge material permeable to the plurality of redox shuttle molecules and minimally permeable to the plurality of photocatalyst particles;
• wherein the plurality of photocatalysts are configured to catalyze an oxygen evolution reaction in the first portion of the electrolyte solution, yielding oxygen gas and a plurality of charged particles comprising ions, protons, and electrons;
• wherein the redox shuttle molecules are configured to transmit the plurality of charged particles from the first portion of the electrolyte solution to the second portion of the electrolyte solution such that the plurality of photocatalyst particles in the second portion of the electrolyte solution catalyze a hydrogen evolution reaction, yielding hydrogen gas;
• c. a plurality of perforated surfaces (140) interdigitatably disposed between the plurality of tubes (120) configured to allow the oxygen gas to transfer from the pool (110) through the plurality of perforated surfaces (140) to an external environment;
• d. a gas handling subassembly (130) fluidly coupled to the plurality of tubes (120) by a steel hydrogen outlet manifold (150) disposed at an end of the plurality of tubes (120), configured to accept the hydrogen gas and convert the hydrogen gas into energy;
• and
• e. one or more hydrogen gas pumps operatively coupled to the plurality of tubes (120) configured to pump the hydrogen gas from the plurality of tubes (120) to the gas handling subassembly (130).