The use of coal, an abundant and economical energy source, to produce a clean hydrogen fuel with near-zero emission would reduce our reliance on imported oil and enhance our energy security. A membrane system that can consolidate the hydrogen production process is the most economical approach to improving production efficiency and reducing the cost. This project will develop a high-surface-area membrane reactor that has high capacity, high selectivity for hydrogen separation, and high resistance to the contaminants of coal-derived gas. The reactor also will be suitable for operation at the required high pressure and temperature conditions. The approach will be to select membrane materials that meet these criteria and then demonstrate that the membrane reactor to achieve the stated targets.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to the application to coal gasification, the new membrane reactor could be used to recover hydrogen from biomass gasification processes. Also, it could be integrated with a fuel processor to generate pure hydrogen from diesel fuel, in order to meet military needs for high energy systems.
