(592a) Comparison of Coal Based Hydrogen and Electricity Generation Process Under a Carbon Constrained Scenario

Hydrogen and electricity produced from coal will represent a significant share in the energy mix within the foreseeable future. Various novel processes are developed or currently under development for hydrogen and electricity production from coal derived syngas. The commercial coal to hydrogen and coal to electricity processes include the coal gasification-water gas shift process and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process. More advanced approaches include enhanced water-gas-shift membrane technology and chemical looping technology.

This paper compares these technologies on the same baseline via Aspen Plus simulation with common assumptions. Firstly, the thermodynamic nature of the key reactors, e.g. the reducer/oxidizer of the chemical looping system and the hydrogen-/carbon dioxide- selective water-gas-shift membrane reactor of the membrane system, are investigated and modeled. Operating conditions such as feeding ratio, temperature and pressure are then optimized. Consequently, the models are integrated into an identical coal gasification system for simulation of different processes. Finally, the overall energy efficiencies in different processes are analyzed on the basis of simulation results. The results are helpful in opting and optimizing the design of future hydrogen production from coal process.