Emerging Trends in Hydrogen and Synfuel Generation: A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

The current work investigated emerging fields for generating and consuming hydrogen and synthetic Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels, especially from detrimental greenhouse gases, CO2 and CH4. Technologies for syngas generation ranging from partial oxidation, auto-thermal, dry, photothermal, and wet or steam reforming of methane were adequately revised alongside biomass valorisation for hydrogen generation, water-electrolysis, and climate challenges due to methane flaring, production, storage, transportation, challenges, and opportunities in CO2 and CH4 utilisation. Under the same conditions, dry reforming produces more coke than steam reforming. However, combining the two techniques produces syngas with a high H2/CO ratio, which is suitable for producing long-chain hydrocarbons. Although the steam methane reforming (SMR) process has been industrialised, it is well known to consume significant energy. However, coke production via catalytic methane decomposition, the prime hindrance to large-scale implementation of these techniques for hydrogen production, could be addressed by coupling CO with CO2 conversion to alter the H2/CO ratio of syngas, increasing the reaction temperatures in dry reforming, or increasing the steam content fed in steam reforming. Optimised hydrogen production and generation of green fuels from CO2 and CH4 can be achieved by implementing these strategies.