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A High-Performance Reactor for Producing High-Purity Hydrogen from Coal

标题

Porous Stabilized Beds, Methods of Manufacture Thereof and Articles Comprising the Same

详细技术说明

None

*Abstract

Invention

The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a reactor that produces high-purity hydrogen with inputs of readily available coal gases and water using a magnetically stabilized iron/silica porous structure, increasing efficiency and lowering production costs. Hydrogen is an energy-dense, clean fuel that releases only water upon combustion. The most common fuel for fuel cells, high-purity hydrogen is an essential element for making green liquid fuels (such as methanol) for combustion engines. Production of low-cost, high-purity hydrogen can help prevent energy crises and limit the spread of environmental pollutants. Although it is the most abundant chemical element in the universe, hydrogen is not available for immediate use as an energy source. It is possible, however, to liberate hydrogen gas from water and then immediately trap it from reactive metals at high temperatures via a chemical looping process that uses coal gases to enable the process to progress in a cyclic manner Coal gasification converts raw coal into methane and syngas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide also called coal gas). Chemical looping then produces high-purity hydrogen using steam in the oxidation step, and syngas in the reduction step. Highly concentrated carbon dioxide suitable for sequestration is produced during the reduction step, and the recovered reactive material is ready for the oxidation reaction in the next cycle. Researchers at the University of Florida have improved on the stability, reactivity, and efficiency of hydrogen production via the looping process by developing magnetically stabilized reactor beds that split water and are regenerated using coal derived syngas.

Application

A device that inexpensively isolates clean hydrogen gas for energy from abundant water resources using coal-based syngas as an input

Advantages

• Magnetic treatment enhances iron’s porosity, boosting the reactor’s hydrogen output rate up to 90 percent
• Aids the transition from a hydrocarbon economy to a hydrogen economy, safeguarding the environment from damaging pollutants
• Utilizes abundant raw components (e.g. iron, water and coal), ensuring a stable supply of hydrogen is available to meet ever-increasing energy demands

Technology

University of Florida researchers have developed a unique, high-porosity,magnetically stabilized iron/silica structure that can be used to produce high-purity hydrogen at high temperatures with significant throughput using an established iron-based chemical looping processBy applying an external magnetic field to stabilize fluidized iron/silica particles, the researchers discovered that magnetization results in natural spaces between the iron particles and can exploit sintering. These spaces create larger voids hence surface area with which the gas can maintain contact during the necessary chemical reactions at high temperatures. These high porosity, very well controlled sintered structures are prepared in such a way that they maintain their shape during the hydrogen production looping processes at high temperatures. The system, which boasts improved hydrogen output, is compatible with standard methods for carbon capture and storage. This same reactor technology can also be used with carbon-neutral solar-based hydrogen production.

Related to 17163

*IP Issue Date

May 8, 2018

*IP Publication Date

Oct 2, 2014

*Principal Investigation

Name: James Klausner

Department:

Name: Ayyoub Mehdizadeh Momen

Department:

Name: Kyle Allen

Department:

Name: Renwei Mei

Department:

申请日期

Jan 7, 2014

申请号码

9,966,171

其他

国家/地区

美国