via Newcastle University
The first thermodynamically-reversible chemical reactor capable of producing hydrogen as a pure product stream represents a “transformational” step forward in the chemical industry.
The novel reactor, described today in the prestigious academic journal Nature Chemistry, avoids mixing reactant gases by transferring oxygen between reactant streams via a solid state oxygen reservoir.
With our Hydrogen Memory Reactor we can produce pure, separated products. You could call it the perfect reactor
Ian Metcalfe, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Newcastle University
This reservoir is designed to remain close to equilibrium with the reacting gas streams as they follow their reaction trajectory and thus retains a ‘chemical memory’ of the conditions to which it has been exposed.
The result is that hydrogen is produced as a pure product stream, removing the need for costly separation of the final products.
Led by Newcastle University, UK, the research involved experts from the universities of Durham and Edinburgh and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France, and was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Most abundant element in the universe
Professor Ian Metcalfe, lead author and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University said:
“Chemical changes are usually performed via mixed reactions whereby multiple reactants are mixed together and heated. But this leads to losses, incomplete conversion of reactants and a final mixture of products that need to be separated.
“With our Hydrogen Memory Reactor we can produce pure, separated products. You could call it the perfect reactor.”
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. Produced through the splitting of water molecules, the shift towards renewable energy has led to a rise in so-called ‘green hydrogen’.
Hydrogen is a clean and useful energy store and can be used as a fuel, to generate electricity and can be stored and transported via the gas networks.
All processes – be they chemical, mechanical or electrical – are thermodynamically irreversible, and are less efficient that they otherwise could be.
This means that in traditional chemical reactors when hydrogen is produced it needs to be separated from other products, a process which is both costly and often energy intensive.
One step unit
Describing their new system, the team demonstrate a chemical reactor capable for the first time of approaching thermodynamically-reversible operation.
Reacting water and carbon monoxide to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the system also prevents carbon being carried into the hydrogen produce stream as carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, thus avoiding contamination of the product.
‘Flipping’ the reservoir a bit like a switch, the team showed it is possible to reach high conversion in the system so that carbon dioxide and hydrogen are produced at either end of the reactor as pure products.
“Whereas conventional hydrogen production requires two reactors and a separation, our reactor accomplishes all the steps in one unit,” adds Professor Metcalfe.
“And while we demonstrate the concept with hydrogen, the memory reactor concept may also be applied to other processes.”
Learn more: Major step forward in the production of ‘green’ Hydrogen
The Latest on: Green hydrogen
via Google News
The Latest on: Green hydrogen
- Shell Plans Largest Green Hydrogen Plant in Europeon July 7, 2022 at 9:16 am
Shell is building the largest green hydrogen plant in Europe, which it will use to implement as a cleaner energy source compared with other fuels. The facility, called Holland Hydrogen I, will be ...
- A Quarter of Global Hydrogen Set for Trading by 2050on July 7, 2022 at 7:14 am
Global hydrogen trade to meet the 1.5°C climate goal' finds that future hydrogen trade can be significant. Trade allows to tap into affordable hydrogen as scale of projects progresses and technology ...
- The Future Of Utility-Scale Green Hydrogen Starts Hereon July 7, 2022 at 7:00 am
Utah’s Advanced Clean Energy Storage hub, the world’s largest facility, is poised to advance hydrogen, a key and highly flexible element in the energy transition.
- Prasanta Sarkar and Rochan Sinha at NewTrace on ambition to bring 'green hydrogen' to the mass marketon July 7, 2022 at 5:30 am
Our guests today are Prasanta Sarkar and Rochan Sinha, co-founders of NewTrace, where they've just raised some funding to develop a new class of 'membraneless' electrolysers, largely built with ...
- ‘Three quarters of global green hydrogen will be produced and used locally in 2050’: Irenaon July 7, 2022 at 4:00 am
Internationally traded H2 — the remaining 25% — would mostly be transported through retrofitted gas pipelines or shipped as ammonia, says new report ...
- Shell to start construction of Europe's largest green hydrogen planton July 6, 2022 at 10:01 am
Shell (SHEL) said on Wednesday it made a final investment decision to build Europe's largest renewable hydrogen plant in the Netherlands; financial details were not ...
- Spain Uses Natural Advantages to Push for Green Hydrogenon July 6, 2022 at 6:54 am
In this inauspicious location is a gas station for buses that fill up at night with green hydrogen, a ‘clean’ energy source for transport as well as other niche industries like fertilizers, steel or ...
- From zero to green: hydrogen valley plans for Estoniaon July 6, 2022 at 1:48 am
As Estonia continues to grapple with the energy crisis facing Europe, the country looks to develop the ‘first’ nationwide Hydrogen Valley with a coalition of public and private partners. Plans ...
- Green hydrogen from plant residueon July 1, 2022 at 7:18 am
Until now, the most common way to dispose of green waste and sewage sludge has been to compost or incinerate it. However, using these materials to produce the valuable energy source hydrogen would ...
- Green Hydrogen Market Size is projected to reach USD 72 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 55%: Straits Researchon June 29, 2022 at 7:00 am
The global green hydrogen market size was worth USD 1 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 72 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 55% during the forecast period (2022–2030). Europe leads ...
via Bing News