Experimental investigation and assessment of a newly designed hybrid hydrogen reactor for sustainable fuel production

• A new hybrid PEC-conventional cells facilitate continuous hydrogen generation. • A coated photocathode enhances catalytic activity and hydrogen production. • The Design Expert was utilized to optimize essential parameters using RSM modelling. • Maximum hydrogen generation attained: 1.226 µg/s over an area of 49 cm 2 . • The energy and exergy efficiencies attained were 3.78% and 3.86%, respectively. With the increasing need for clean and sustainable energy sources, hydrogen has become a crucial energy carrier owing to its high energy density and zero-emission properties. This study presents a novel hybrid photoelectrochemical (PEC)-conventional electrolysis system that integrates the advantageous features of both PEC and conventional electrolysis technologies, providing distinct benefits. A significant advantage is further the ability to constantly produce hydrogen, even without solar irradiation. An experimental examination and thermodynamic performance evaluation of a hybrid hydrogen reactor to produce clean hydrogen is presented. The Design Expert software and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were used to assess the experimental data and simulate the operational conditions and factors, such as mass flow rate, operating temperature and sun irradiation. At a 49 cm 2 active electrode area, the system produced 1.226 µg/s of hydrogen with energy and exergy efficiencies of 3.78% and 3.86%, respectively. The results underscore the significance of coating material selection and process optimization in enhancing efficient and sustainable hydrogen generation methods.