Steam Methane Reforming Research Articles

Assessment of a coupled electricity and hydrogen sector in the Texas energy system in 2050

Due to its ability to reduce emissions in the hard-to-abate sectors, hydrogen is expected to play a significant role in future energy systems. This study modifies a sector-coupled dynamic modeling framework for electricity and hydrogen by including policy constraints, carbon prices, and possible hydrogen pathways and applies it to Texas in 2050. The impact of financial policies, including the US clean hydrogen production tax credit, on required infrastructure and costs are explored. Due to low natural gas prices, financial levers are necessary to promote low-carbon hydrogen production as the optimized solution. The Levelized Costs of Hydrogen are found to be $1.50/kg in the base case (primarily via steam methane reformation production) and lie between $2.10 - 3.10/kg when production is via renewable electrolysis. The supporting infrastructure required to supply those volumes of renewable hydrogen is immense. The hydrogen tax credit was found to be enough to drive production via electrolysis.

Comprehensive Review of Carbon Capture and Storage Integration in Hydrogen Production: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

The growing emphasis on renewable energy highlights hydrogen’s potential as a clean energy carrier. However, traditional hydrogen production methods contribute significantly to carbon emissions. This review examines the integration of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies with hydrogen production processes, focusing on their ability to mitigate carbon emissions. It evaluates various hydrogen production techniques, including steam methane reforming, electrolysis, and biomass gasification, and discusses how CCS can enhance environmental sustainability. Key challenges, such as economic, technical, and regulatory obstacles, are analyzed. Case studies and future trends offer insights into the feasibility of CCS–hydrogen integration, providing pathways for reducing greenhouse gases and facilitating a clean energy transition.

Thermodynamic evaluation of a Ca-Cu looping post-combustion CO2 capture system integrated with thermochemical recuperation based on steam methane reforming

The calcium looping integrated with the chemical looping combustion (CaL-CLC) process is an efficient and cost-effective CO2 capture technology that avoids the energy-intensive air separation unit in the calcium looping (CaL) process. However, in these CaL-CLC and CaL system integration schemes, the carbonation heat is utilized for steam generation, resulting a significant temperature difference and considerable irreversible loss. To prevent temperature mismatch, this paper proposes a novel Ca-Cu looping post-combustion CO2 capture method with thermochemical recuperation based on steam methane reforming. Additionally, a novel system integrated with turbine exhaust heat recovery is introduced to effectively reduce carbon emissions from flue gas. Results show that the proposed system has superior performance compared to the reference system based on the Ca-Cu looping method. The specific primary energy consumption for CO2 avoidance decreased from 2.40 MJLHV/kg CO2 in the reference system to 2.02 MJLHV/kg CO2. Exergy analysis indicates that a total of 3.0 % reduction in exergy destruction can be achieved in chemical reaction processes and heat recovery processes, contributing to the superior performance of the proposed system. Furthermore, the effects of key operating parameters indicate that cascaded turbine exhaust recovery is essential for improving the thermodynamic efficiency of the proposed system. Overall, recovering the mid-temperature carbonation heat via thermochemical regeneration and integrating with exhaust heat recovery contribute to reducing SPECCA, thus providing a promising low-energy-consumption alternative for CO2 capture.

Comparative Hydrogen Production Routes via Steam Methane Reforming and Chemical Looping Reforming of Natural Gas as Feedstock

Hydrogen production is essential in the transition to sustainable energy. This study examines two hydrogen production routes, steam methane reforming (SMR) and chemical looping reforming (CLR), both using raw natural gas as feedstock. SMR, the most commonly used industrial process, involves reacting methane with steam to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. In contrast, CLR uses a metal oxide as an oxygen carrier to facilitate hydrogen production without generating additional carbon dioxide. Simulations conducted using Aspen HYSYS analyzed each method’s performance and energy consumption. The results show that SMR achieved 99.98% hydrogen purity, whereas CLR produced 99.97% purity. An energy analysis revealed that CLR requires 31% less energy than SMR, likely due to the absence of low- and high-temperature water–gas shift units. Overall, the findings suggest that CLR offers substantial advantages over SMR, including lower energy consumption and the production of cleaner hydrogen, free from carbon dioxide generated during the water–gas shift process.

Optimizing process parameters and materials for the conversion of plastic waste into hydrogen

Abstract This study has investigated hydrogen production from waste plastics using pyrolysis, steam methane reforming, and water-gas-shift reactions modelled via Aspen Plus. After evaluating multiple alternatives, polypropylene (PP) was selected as the feedstock. The research has been focused on how reformer temperature, steam-to-fuel ratio (S/F), reformer pressure, and pyrolysis temperature impact syngas composition, heating values, syngas (H2/CO) ratios, and yields of hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Key findings have indicated that raising reformer temperatures to around 1000°C maximizes hydrogen production in syngas, reaching peak levels of 2360 Nm3/Ton and 2525 Nm3/Ton for reformer temperature and steam-to-fuel ratio (S/F) ratios, respectively, via processes like steam methane reforming and the water-gas-shift reaction. Moreover, other parameters like steam-to-fuel (S/F) ratio and reformer pressure have produced the highest amount of hydrogen at 0.25 and 1 atm, respectively. Optimizing reformer temperature and steam-to-fuel ratio (S/F) have been selected as key in hydrogen production, with peak lower heating values (LHV) of 1.15 MJ/kg for temperature and 1.035 MJ/kg for S/F ratios, highlighting the importance of balancing these parameters for efficiency. Additionally, syngas' hydrogen (H2) composition increased with pyrolysis temperature, peaking at 8.5% at 700°C. Finally, this research has provided valuable insights into optimizing process parameters for sustainable hydrogen production. Moreover, the simulation process has provided cost-effective adjustments and informed decision-making for sustainable and scalable technologies, benefiting researchers, investors, engineers, and policymakers involved in innovative hydrogen generation.

Topology optimization and numerical validation for heat transfer improvement in a packed-bed reactor with monolithic catalyst

This study focuses on optimizing heat transfer in packed-bed reactors by simplifying the problem to a two-dimensional steady-state heat conduction scenario. The objective is to efficiently arrange a limited volume of high-conductivity material to transport heat from the source to the low-conductivity heat-absorbing materials, representing the reacting fluid phase. The topology optimization problem is tackled using a density-based method that relies on a gradient-based algorithm. The optimized design is extruded and compared to a honeycomb internal structure using high-fidelity simulations for steam methane reforming. Results show a 6.04 % improvement in CH4 conversion for the optimized structure, highlighting the potential of this method to enhance monolithic catalysts, particularly in cases where heat transfer critically influences the reaction.

Life Cycle Fluoropolymer Management in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis

Concerns over the life cycle impacts of fluoropolymers have led to their inclusion in broad product restriction proposals for per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), despite their non-bioavailable properties and low exposure potential in complex, durable goods such as non-consumer electrical products. Based on the hypothesis that manufacturers are most able to manage the environmental impacts of their products, practical engineering approaches to implementing life cycle fluoropolymer stewardship are evaluated to bridge the ongoing debate between precautionary and risk-based approaches to PFAS management. A life cycle thinking approach is followed that considers product design and alternatives, as well as the product life cycle stages of material sourcing, manufacturing, field deployment, and end-of-life. Over the product life cycle, the material sourcing and end-of-life stages are most impactful in minimizing potential life cycle PFAS emissions. Sourcing fluoropolymers from suppliers with fluorosurfactant emissions control and replacement minimizes the potential emissions of bio-available PFAS substances. A stack-as-service approach to electrolyzer operations ensures a takeback mechanism for the recycling of end-of-life fluoropolymer materials. Retaining electrolytic hydrogen’s license to operate results in over USD 2 of environmental and health benefits per kilogram of hydrogen produced from reduced greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions compared to conventional hydrogen production via steam methane reforming.

Industrial-scale 12-layered-bed vacuum pressure swing adsorption for fuel cell-grade H2 production from carbon-captured steam methane reforming syngas

Vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) is primarily used to produce high-purity H2 from CO2-rich syngas in steam methane reforming (SMR) plants. Since carbon capture is essential, the performance of current H2 VPSA processes is affected by feeding carbon-captured SMR syngas (CO2-lean SMR syngas). This study conducted the performance evaluation and optimization for a fuel cell-grade H2 production by an industrial-scale 12-layered-bed VPSA process with a 24-step cycle from CO2-lean SMR syngas. The multi-scale dynamic model for the VPSA process was validated with petrochemical industry data from a current SMR-VPSA plant. A sensitivity analysis using CO2-lean SMR syngas indicated the high loss of H2 during desorption steps, suggesting the need for optimization of the VPSA process. Owing to the complex interconnectivity of 12 beds via 24 steps, the framework of a dynamic model-based deep neural network (DNN) and DNN-based optimization was developed to design and optimize the VPSA process. Even without changing equipment or adsorbent configuration, the VPSA process achieved fuel cell-grade H2 production (>99.9999 % H2 and > 88 % recovery with < 0.2 ppm CO). The results indicate that CO2 capture rates, ranging from 90 to 99 %, can be independently determined under techno-economic and environmental conditions, as this capture range of CO2-lean SMR syngas gives a minor impact on the performance of VPSA process. The proposed three-step framework, which encompasses dynamic modeling, surrogate modeling, and multi-objective optimization, provides a systematic and feasible approach for designing and optimizing the VPSA process in an SMR plant integrated with a carbon capture process, to achieve a low-carbon economy.

Towards sustainable hydrogen production: Integrating electrified and convective steam reformer with carbon capture and storage

This work reports the design of a process for hydrogen production based on electrified steam methane reforming (e-SMR) coupled with a convective reforming (convective SMR) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) as an alternative to conventional fuel-fired reforming to reduce natural gas (NG) consumption as well as carbon dioxide emissions. The energy required by the reforming reaction is supplied by direct electric heating instead of burning fossil fuel in the radiant section of a furnace, saving 35 % NG and reducing CO2 emission by 29 %. Implementing convective SMR reduces the electric load of the main e-SMR reactor and ensures a slightly higher thermal efficiency (80.2 %) compared to conventional fuel-fired reforming (78.9 %). Further CO2 emissions (85 %) and NG consumption reduction (50 %) are possible by adopting amine-based CO2 capture. If coupled with an energy integration scheme, it is possible to capture 75 % of the CO2 produced, preserving high energy efficiency (79.4 %). This requires only a 14 % increase in capital costs, which is strongly beneficial compared to applying CO2 capture to flue gases of the fuel-fired reforming (69.8 % efficiency and 80 % more capital costs).The process based on e-SMR coupled with convective SMR and CO2 capture ensures a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of 0.281 € Nm−3 H2, which is much lower than the conventional fuel-fired reforming with CO2 capture applied to flue gases (0.309 € Nm−3 H2). Moreover, it has comparable CO2 emissions (1.59 vs 0.99 kg CO2 emitted kg−1 H2) but produces lower CO2 (6.39 vs 9.88 CO2 produced kg−1 H2) compared to fuel-fired reforming due to using renewable electricity as energy source for the SMR. Compared to conventional fuel-fired reforming, the same process provides similar LCOH (0.283 vs 0.282 € Nm−3 H2) but with drastically lower CO2 emissions (1.59 vs 8.99 kg CO2 emitted kg−1 H2).

Preparation, characterization, and catalytic performance comparison of Ni/LaBO3 and Ru‐Ni/LaBO3 (B = Al, Fe) for methane steam reforming to hydrogen production

AbstractThe methane steam reforming (MSR) reaction is a significant process for hydrogen production, and developing catalysts with high activity and stability is crucial. In this work, the supported perovskite catalysts of Ni/LaBO3 and Ru‐Ni/LaBO3 (B = Al, Fe) were prepared by the sol–gel method using citric acid as a gelling agent for MSR to hydrogen production. The phase composition, pore structure, and surface morphology of the prepared catalysts were characterized by X‐ray diffractometer, Brunauer–Emett–Teller, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reaction activity and stability of the prepared catalysts were tested in the fixed‐bed reactor with the temperature range of 500–800°C. The effect of Ru addition on the structure of perovskite and catalytic performance of MSR is explored. The results showed that 1wt%Ru–15wt%Ni/LaAlO3 catalyst exhibited the most excellent activity and stability during the reaction compared with the other three catalysts. The CH4 conversion, H2 selectivity, and H2 yield of the 1wt%Ru–15wt%Ni/LaAlO3 catalyst could reach 94.68%, 79.78%, and 48.65%, respectively, under the reaction temperature of 800°C and gas hourly space velocity of 36 000 mL/(gh), which were higher than those of a commercial catalyst. It was because that the relatively large surface area of perovskite support provides more active site and the addition of Ru enable Ni to have a smaller size and more dispersion. This study could provide a reference of perovskite catalysts for hydrogen production by MSR.

Comparative techno-economic assessment of renewable diesel production integrated with alternative hydrogen supply

The hydrodeoxygenation of triglycerides and fatty acids (HEFA) represents a well-established technological pathway for producing renewable drop-in fuels, such as renewable diesel, aviation fuel, or renewable light ends, like naphtha and LPG. A hydrogen supply is required, and the conventional method involves steam methane reforming (SMR) from natural gas. Both HEFA and SMR processes have been investigated in the literature separately. In this context, the goal of this work is to assess the hydrodeoxygenation process (HDO) of triglycerides/fatty acids integrated with hydrogen production. Two scenarios are compared by process simulation, equipment sizing, and economic analysis: one with traditional SMR (SC-A) and another with electrified SMR (SC–B), which is a recent alternative for hydrogen production with no natural gas. The HDO capacity was 6220 BPSD (38000 kg/h) of soybean oil, and the average yields for renewable diesel, naphtha, and LPG were 71.23 %-wt, 1.80 %-wt, and 5.87 %-wt, accordingly. Both scenarios were technical feasible and may be economically attractive. However, the grey hydrogen source was more profitable per its plant simplicity — although the CO2 taxation may impact its profitability.

Hydrogen Separation Membranes: A Material Perspective

The global energy market is shifting toward renewable, sustainable, and low-carbon hydrogen energy due to global environmental issues, such as rising carbon dioxide emissions, climate change, and global warming. Currently, a majority of hydrogen demands are achieved by steam methane reforming and other conventional processes, which, again, are very carbon-intensive methods, and the hydrogen produced by them needs to be purified prior to their application. Hence, researchers are continuously endeavoring to develop sustainable and efficient methods for hydrogen generation and purification. Membrane-based gas-separation technologies were proven to be more efficient than conventional technologies. This review explores the transition from conventional separation techniques, such as pressure swing adsorption and cryogenic distillation, to advanced membrane-based technologies with high selectivity and efficiency for hydrogen purification. Major emphasis is placed on various membrane materials and their corresponding membrane performance. First, we discuss various metal membranes, including dense, alloyed, and amorphous metal membranes, which exhibit high hydrogen solubility and selectivity. Further, various inorganic membranes, such as zeolites, silica, and CMSMs, are also discussed. Major emphasis is placed on the development of polymeric materials and membranes for the selective separation of hydrogen from CH4, CO2, and N2. In addition, cutting-edge mixed-matrix membranes are also delineated, which involve the incorporation of inorganic fillers to improve performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of advancements in gas-separation membranes and membrane materials in terms of hydrogen selectivity, permeability, and durability in practical applications. By analyzing various conventional and advanced technologies, this review provides a comprehensive material perspective on hydrogen separation membranes, thereby endorsing hydrogen energy for a sustainable future.

Assessment of the Polygeneration Approach in Wastewater Treatment Plants for Enhanced Energy Efficiency and Green Hydrogen/Ammonia Production

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) offer opportunities to optimize resource utilization and enhance energy efficiency. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of using the polygeneration approach in WWTPs to reduce grid energy dependence, optimize energy distribution, and utilize surplus energy for hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) production. Several models were employed, including photovoltaic (PV) technology, parabolic trough collectors (PTCs), steam methane reforming, and polymer electrolyte membranes, to assess the feasibility of this approach. Three scenarios were evaluated: Scenario 1 (Baseline) represents the current operations, Scenario 2 maximizes the Net Present Value (NPV), and Scenario 3 minimizes NH3 production costs. Real data from As-Samra WWTP in Jordan was used to accurately assess the feasibility of each scenario. The results show that Scenario 2 offers the highest profitability and efficiency, with a NPV of 87.48 million USD and an annual NH3 production of 15,417 tons, reducing both grid dependency and biogas fuel consumption. Both Scenarios 2 and 3 demonstrate the ability to meet thermal demands efficiently while generating significant revenue from NH3 production. Scenario 3, in particular, achieves competitive H2 and NH3 production costs. Environmentally, Scenario 2 significantly reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 12.66 kilotons of CO2eq, with near-zero carbon intensity for thermal energy due to solar reliance. In conclusion, the polygeneration approach offers a promising pathway for WWTPs to achieve greater sustainability, economic gains, and reduced environmental impact, providing valuable insights for decision-makers.

Ni/Al2O3 PROMOTED BY CeO2, CeO2-La2O3, AND CeO2-ZrO2 SUPPORTED ON CORDIERITE MONOLITHS FOR METHANE STEAM REFORMING

Promotion of Ni-based catalysts supported on cordierite monoliths was investigated for methane steam reforming. First, cordierite was coated by ɣ-Al2O3, and then the catalyst components were deposited by successive wet impregnation, obtaining: NiAl/cordierite; NiCeAl/cordierite; NiCeLaAl/cordierite and NiCeZrAl/cordierite. The monolithic catalysts were characterized by adherence test, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), N2 physisorption, Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR), CO chemisorption, as well as by in situ and operando Raman spectroscopy. The catalyst layer showed very good adherence and distribution of the components over the cordierite surface. The catalysts presented high activity between 600 and 800 °C at a H2O/CH4 molar ratio=1.5, except for NiCeAl/cordierite, which obtained lower methane conversion, associated with its lower nickel dispersion. The catalysts showed high stability under extreme conditions for carbon deposition (600 °C and H2O/CH4=1), over 90h on stream. Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of oxygen vacancies, which may be increased during ceria reduction, highlighting the potential of these catalysts to enhance the resistance to deactivation by carbon deposition in long-term tests.

Evaluation of Green and Blue Hydrogen Production Potential in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has rich renewable energy resources, specifically wind and solar in addition to geothermal beside massive natural gas reserves. This paper investigates the potential of both green and blue hydrogen production for five selected cities in Saudi Arabia. To accomplish the said objective, a techno-economic model is formulated. Four renewable energy scenarios are evaluated for a total of 1.9 GW installed capacity to reveal the best scenario of Green Hydrogen Production (GHP) in each city. Also, Blue Hydrogen Production (BHP) is investigated for two cases of Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) with different percentages of carbon capture. The two BHP scenarios were compared with a base case scenario of hydrogen production from natural gas without CCS/U (gray hydrogen). The economic analysis for both GHP and BHP is performed by calculating the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) and cash flow. The LCOH for GHP range for all cities ($3.27/kg–$12.17/kg)) with the lowest LCOH is found for NEOM city (50% PV and 50% wind) ($3.27/kg). LCOH for the three SMR cases are $0.534/kg, $0.647/kg, and $0.897/kg for SMR wo CCS/U, SMR 55% CCS/U, and SMR 90% CCS/U respectively.

A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment for clean hydrogen gas production pathway using the CeO2/Ce2O3-based redox thermochemical cycle

The present study is conducted to develop a two-steps redox thermochemical cycle based on combined ceria reduction and methane reforming through the CeO2/Ce2O3 redox pair. This cycle incorporates simultaneous water splitting for hydrogen production. To enhance the accuracy and reliability of the inventory data, the system is simulated using the Aspen Plus software package. Also, the goal of this work is to evaluate the carbon footprint of thermochemical based hydrogen production under different scenarios and to compare it with traditional technologies like steam methane reforming (SMR). The analysis takes into account both the plant manufacturing line (reactors), fuel processing (H2 production), redox particles oxygen carrier manufacturing (OC), H2 compression (power consumption) and H2 storage (pipeline manufacturing). The openLCA software with the European database environmental footprint is employed to compute the total carbon emissions of this thermochemical cycle during its overall life cycle. The study concludes that the base case scenario of this system has an overall GWP of 1751.14 g CO2 eq./kg H2 respectively. In the overall GWP, the share of plant construction and OC production was found to be around 1.67%, and 15.78% respectively. The conventional steam methane reforming is loaded with an overall GWP of 4472.83 g CO2 eq./kg H2. In terms of renewable energy input, the base case scenario of this hydrogen production system results in 1465.73 g CO2 eq./kg H2 with thermal energy produced from renewable sources. Comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) demonstrates that base case of CeO2/Ce2O3 has an 85.41% lower GWP emphasizing its environmental advantages over the SMR and Fe3O4/FeO redox pair carries an 84.06% lower GWP as compared to the conventional SMR with 1483.55 g CO2 eq./kg H2. The present study concludes that the combined ceria reduction and methane reforming chemical looping process with simultaneous water splitting may be a more promising option to produce hydrogen using renewable energy.

Development and verification of a multi-component model for steam methane reforming

RELEVANCE. Steam methane reforming is the dominant method of hydrogen production. Its significant share in global CO2 emissions highlights the importance of optimizing technological parameters to reduce environmental impact. The developed multi-component model of steam methane reforming in COMSOL Multiphysics is relevant not only due to its applicability for optimizing existing production facilities but also for its potential in developing new methods for utilizing associated petroleum gas. In the context of import substitution in the hydrogen energy sector, this model is also of interest, allowing for the calculation of technological parameters of industrial installations.THE PURPOSE. The aim of the work is to develop and verify a multi-component model of steam methane reforming.METHODS. The research methodology includes the use of experimental data from the literature and industrial indicators for integration into a multi-component model in COMSOL Multiphysics. This enables the modelling of complex chemical interactions under conditions characteristic of the industrial steam methane reforming process.RESULTS. The developed multi-component model allows calculating key parameters of the steam methane reforming process, including the concentration of components (methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide) and temperature along the reactor. The model successfully describes the chemical interactions between components and takes into account the influence of operating conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and steam/gas ratio, on process efficiency. The model verification was carried out by comparing the modelling results with experimental data and indicators of real industrial processes. Their correspondence confirms the high degree of reliability and suitability of the model for practical application in engineering calculations and optimization of steam methane reforming processes.CONCLUSION. The conclusions made based on the modelling can be used for further improvement of methane conversion technologies, contributing to their efficiency and environmental friendliness. There is also potential for using the model to calculate the stages of installations for the utilization of products from the processing of associated petroleum gas.

Kinetics and catalysis: Direct mechanisms, autonomous reaction pathways, and the constitutive rate function

AbstractRate functions of catalytic reactions are derived from direct mechanisms based on an adsorption theory and a kinetic mathematical model. Often, more than one direct mechanism corresponds to an overall chemical reaction. Since each direct mechanism can potentially produce a distinct rate function, it is likely that more than one independent rate function describes the rate of an overall reaction. This appears to be a fundamental property of the structure of the kinetics of heterogeneous catalysis and this article addresses this possibility via an examination of the independent direct mechanisms of the steam methane reforming and ammonia synthesis.

High selectivity syngas generation by double perovskite oxygen carriers La2Fe2-xCoxO6 for chemical looping steam methane reforming

The generation of high-quality syngas combined with high-purity hydrogen is an essential challenge in the chemical looping steam methane reforming (CL-SMR) process, in which the design of oxygen carriers (OCs) is crucial. In this study, La2FeBO6 (BCr, Ni，Co) and La2Fe2-xCoxO6 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) double perovskites have been investigated as OCs in the CL-SMR process. Various analytical techniques (BET, XPS, XRD, H2-TPR, Raman.) have been deployed to characterize the OCs' specific surface area, crystal structure, and surface oxygen species. The fixed-bed experiments revealed that the Cr-modified perovskite had the lowest reactivity, which was attributed to the creation of LaCrO3 limiting the oxygen release rate of the OC. Meanwhile, Ni doping exhibited the maximum methane conversion (99.15 %), but it resulted in more carbon deposition due to methane cracking, and its carbon deposition was four times than that of Co doping. Whereas, the Co doped double perovskite OCs showed excellent overall performance, in which La2Fe1.8Co0.2O6 (L2F1.8Co0.2) exhibited the optimum CO selectivity (90.72 %), H2 selectivity (96.91 %), and H2 purity (96.84 %), as well as the lowest carbon deposition. Moreover, the L2F1.8Co0.2 also exhibited outstanding stability in 10 cycles, and it could be a prospective material for CL-SMR, enabling the simultaneous generation of high-quality syngas and high-purity hydrogen.

Optimization of a novel hydrogen production process integrating biomass and sorption-enhanced reforming for reduced CO2 emissions

Recently, there has been a growing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources to bridge the energy gap. Hydrogen has emerged as an attractive and environmentally friendly energy carrier due to its potential for high energy efficiency and minimal pollution generation, making it a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This study proposes and investigates a novel coupled process that utilizes chemical looping technologies for hydrogen production, simultaneously utilizing natural gas and biomass as feedstocks. The primary objective of this research is to develop a process model that maximizes hydrogen production while minimizing carbon dioxide emissions. Aspen Plus version 10 was employed to simulate and analyze the proposed process configuration to achieve this. One of the proposed process's key advantages is its competitiveness compared to conventional steam methane reforming (SMR) processes, which are widely used in industry. The novel process offers significant benefits, such as enhanced hydrogen purity and reduced CO2 content in the product gas. The simulation results obtained from Aspen Plus reveal the successful production of highly pure hydrogen with a molar ratio of H2/CO equal to 268 and syngas with a molar ratio of H2/CO approximately equal to 1. Additionally, the process demonstrates the capability to produce highly high-purity hydrogen with a molar ratio of H2/CO equal to 155,000 in three-section reactors.