Yukitaka Kato

Yukitaka Kato
Future Energy Division

Position
Professor
TEL
+81-3-5734-2967
E-mail
zc.iir.isct.ac.jp
Lab. HP
https://kato.zc.iir.titech.ac.jp/en/index.html
Researcher Link
ResearcherID | ORCID

Feature of Research

We aim to contribute to energy conservation and global environmental protection through the advancement of energy conversion and storage technologies. In particular, we focus on the utilization of chemical reactions to develop technologies for converting heat into heat, heat into electricity, and for advancing energy storage and transportation technologies, as well as hydrogen production.　Energy conversion using chemical reactions holds promise for unprecedented performance, and we are advancing the proposal and development of new carbon-neutral, carbon-recycling, and energy-saving systems that utilize renewable energy, nuclear heat, industrial, urban, mobile, and domestic waste heat as heat sources.

Outline of Research

  1. Calcium Oxide/Water-Based Chemical Heat Pump
     A calcium oxide/water-based chemical heat pump capable of chemically recovering and storing thermal energy in the 500°C range, then raising the temperature and supplying it.It enables the recovery and effective utilization of excess heat generated from renewable energy output control, internal combustion engines, fuel cells, industrial high-temperature thermal processes, nuclear reactors, etc. It contributes to load leveling in heat and power cogeneration systems and power load leveling.
  2. Development of new chemical heat storage materials and high-temperature heat utilization systems
    The recovery and effective utilization of unused heat in the medium-to-high temperature range (100–800°C) are quantitatively important for energy conservation. We will develop various new chemical heat storage materials, chemical heat pumps, and heat utilization systems to enable this. This will contribute to the effective utilization of renewable energy, engines, fuel cells, and cogeneration waste heat, as well as further improvements in system overall efficiency.
  3. Active Carbon Recycling Energy System　(ACRES)
     We are proposing and conducting research and development on a new carbon cycle energy system (ACRES, Active Carbon Recycling Energy System) that utilizes carbon materials as an energy source, recycles the carbon dioxide generated during use back into carbon materials, and reuses it as an energy source without emitting it into the atmosphere. This system has the potential to contribute to the realization of carbon-neutral industries. We are advancing the development of high-efficiency carbon material regeneration technology and evaluating the practicality of the system.
  4. Plate-type Non-equilibrium Fuel Reformer
     We are developing a newly proposed high-efficiency plate-type fuel reformer and the key component technology, a hydrogen permeable membrane. By sequentially extracting hydrogen from the reforming system using the hydrogen permeable membrane, the reaction is maintained in a non-equilibrium state, thereby promoting the reaction. This enables hydrogen production at lower temperatures and higher yields than conventional methods, making efficient hydrogen production for fuel cells and the hydrogen industry possible.
  5. CO2 Recycling Vehicle System (vACRES)
     To utilize green hydrogen, we are investigating a carbon cycle system for mobile applications (vACRES, Vehicle driven by ACRES) using synthetic fuels (e-fuels) produced from green hydrogen. We are exploring a carbon cycle system where synthetic chemical fuels (e-fuels) are used as fuel for internal combustion engines in vehicles, CO2 in exhaust gases is chemically separated and recovered, and then converted back into synthetic fuels using green hydrogen for use in vehicles. Furthermore, by using synthetic fuels to perform fuel reforming, CO2 recovery, and high-purity hydrogen production on-board fuel cell vehicles, and driving fuel cells, a zero-emission mobile system that does not emit CO2 to the outside environment can be constructed. Compared to simple hydrogen systems, this system can utilize the existing gasoline supply chain, reduce transportation and storage costs, and safely and efficiently supply hydrogen. It is expected to be a new hydrogen carbon-neutral system.

Keyword

Energy conversion, Energy storage, Energy transport, Chemical heat pumps, Thermo chemical energy storage, Hydrogen production, Hydrogen carrier systems, Carbon recycle system, Carbon neutrality

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