(424c) Metallic Membrane Reactors for Blue Hydrogen Production & Separation

Inorganic membrane technology is being investigated to perform many of the separations needed for H₂ generation from fossil fuels reforming or gasification while simultaneously concentrating and capturing CO₂. This talk will focus on high temperature, metallic-based, hydrogen permeable membrane materials, such as palladium (Pd) or Pd-alloys and their integration in catalytic membrane reactors.

Pd and its alloys are the most widely studied due to their high H₂ permeability, their chemical compatibility with many hydrocarbons containing gas streams, and their theoretically infinite H₂ selectivity. Our approach has been to fabricate composite membranes consisting of thin, micron-thickness, Pd-alloy films on tubular, porous ceramic substrates using proprietary deposition techniques. Trade-offs associated with several Pd-alloy composition and permeation data with pure and mixed feed gases at high pressures and temperatures will be presented. Examples of current and developmental process applications of Pd alloy membranes will also be discussed where H₂ production can be coupled with CO₂ capture. These applications include H₂ recovery from gasification-derived synthesis gas containing H₂S and a membrane-assisted reactor to produce H₂ via steam reforming of methane while simultaneously concentrating the CO₂ product. Levelized Cost of H₂ (LCOH) analysis data will also be presented and benchmarked against DOE’s metrics.