Production of pure hydrogen and synthesis gas with Cu–Fe oxygen carriers using combined processes of chemical looping combustion and methane decomposition/reforming

Abstract

Two processes for production of synthesis gas and pure hydrogen from methane using chemical looping were investigated using CuO–Fe2O3-alumina oxygen carriers. In the first process, CuO–Fe2O3 was initially reduced with methane and the reduced oxygen carrier was used as a catalyst for decomposition of methane to produce hydrogen; then the carbon formed during the methane decomposition was gasified with steam to produce synthesis gas. Methane chemical looping combustion with CuO–Fe2O3 oxygen carrier provides the heat for both the methane decomposition and carbon gasification reactions. In the second process, the reduced Cu–Fe oxygen carrier was used as a methane steam reforming catalyst to produce synthesis gas from steam and methane. Heat for the reforming reaction is provided by the methane chemical looping combustion reaction of the Cu–Fe oxygen carrier. Multiple-cycle tests of those process steps have been experimentally evaluated in a bench-scale flow reactor. Both processes use the same CuO–Fe2O3 oxide system, as an oxygen carrier for chemical looping combustion reactions and as a catalyst for methane decomposition and methane steam reforming reactions.