Intensified energetically enhanced steam methane reforming through the use of membrane reactors

Abstract

This work focuses on the implementation of membrane reactors (MRs) in the production of hydrogen through steam-methane reforming (SMR). A novel equilibrium MR model featuring Gibbs Free Energy Minimization is introduced and applied to the SMR-MR process. In addition, the concept of "energetically enhanced steam methane reforming (EER)," which allows for the use of a hybrid (methane combustion/renewable energy) energy supply in the production of hydrogen, is intensified. The UNISIM software (Honeywell™) is used to create a range of intensified flowsheets depicting the proposed IEER-MR process as well as two baseline flowsheets depicting "a standard SMR-MR process" and "a fully exothermic EER process." Heat integration studies are carried out on the developed flowsheets, and the baseline designs are compared to the IEER-MR designs to identify energetic intensification.

Syngas Generation Process Simulation: A Comparative Study

“…For example, [22] used the GFEM model in the thermodynamic analysis of methane oxidation; [23] studied the partial biogas oxidation using the GFEM principle; while [24] analyzed the methanol synthesis from biogas using the GFEM method. As for the reforming processes, [25] combined the GFEM model with regression analysis to study both steam and dry methane reforming; [26] applied a model based on GFEM to the steam methane reforming in a membrane reactor; [27], in turn, used the GFEM model in the thermodynamic analysis of dry methane reforming, identifying the most favorable conditions of temperature, pressure and CH4/CO2 ratio.…”

On Process Intensification through Membrane Storage Reactors

“…Through our rigorous mathematical development, we have successfully modeled transport at the reactor and catalyst pellet scales [13], and have implemented advanced transport models, such as the Dusty Gas Model (DGM), Stefan-Maxwell model (SMM), and Chapman-Enskog framework [14]. We have also proposed methodologies for the synthesis of intensified processes, through the aforementioned IDEAS framework that has been used to identify performance limits for reactive separation networks [15], and the Energetically Enhanced Process (EEP) concept that has been used to synthesize energy-intensified flowsheets using MR networks [16].…”

Equilibrium analysis of CH4, CO, CO2, H2O, H2, C mixtures in C–H–O atom space using Gibbs free energy global minimization

“…EESMR was put forward as a means of reducing the amount of CH 4 consumed as fuel in carrying out the endothermic SMR process, by adding CO and excess H 2 O in the reformer feed 5‐9 . The EESMR process was patented in 2017 5 .…”

“…EEMSR equilibrium computations were carried out for a variety of CO/CH 4 and H 2 O/CH 4 feed ratios, demonstrating that EESMR could deliver reformers with over 95% CH 4 conversions, and exothermic heat loads, thus enabling the creation of natural gas‐based hydrogen production systems utilizing hybrid energy sources, such as natural gas and concentrated solar power (CSP) 7 . Gibbs free energy minimization based equilibrium calculations were used to assess the execution of EESMR in membrane reactors, again demonstrating high CH 4 conversions, and exothermic heat loads, with even lower CO/CH 4 and H 2 O/CH 4 feed ratios than those used in EESMR reactors 8 . Gibbs free energy minimization based EESMR reactor models were employed within a heat integrated, CH 4 /CSP utilizing flowsheet, and EESMR was shown to be preferable in the presence of significant levels of taxation on the use of natural gas as fuel 9 …”