Steam-assisted MILD-POX: A flexible process for the production of hydrogen

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to propose an alternative hydrogen production process using water and sustainable feedstocks to promote the utilisation of cheap and renewable raw materials on a large scale by increasing flexibility, efficiency, and eco-compatibility of existing technologies without sacrificing their reliability and affordability. The idea is to combine non-catalytic Partial Oxidation and Moderate or Intense Low-oxygen Dilution combustion technologies by adding water. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, accompanied by kinetic modelling, are used to assess and interpret the general behaviour of a potential unit that uses the interaction of these two technologies and to compare the performances over a range of operating conditions of interest. The results show that thermochemical production of H2 using the proposed process is theoretically feasible and has the potential to offer many advantages over standard processes. The immediate advantage of such an approach is that a very high H2/CO ratio can be obtained that could eliminate the water gas shift conversion stages, making the reactor more compact and simple than conventional reformers. Moreover, water vapour addition limits the formation of soot precursors due to a “leaning” effect from releasing hydroxyl radicals.