Design and Fabrication of Novel Mixed Ion-Electron Conducting Membranes for Oxygen Separation
Low-cost oxygen separation is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy Vision 21 program with a goal of producing non-polluting energy using a wide variety of fuel sources. For a gasification-based energy system, the cost of the air separation unit has been estimated to be 12-15% of the installed capital costs and requires a significant amount of power during operation resulting in lower operational efficiencies. Consequently, there is a significant opportunity to reduce capital costs and to improve operating efficiencies for new oxygen generation technologies that can replace existing cryogenic systems. One of the most promising new technologies under development by the DOE is advanced ion-electron mixed conductors (IEMC) for oxygen separation from air. Beginning in 1998, NETL initiated a three-phase research program with an industrial consortium led by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI) to develop IEMC technology with a goal to cut the cost of oxygen production by one third compared to existing technology. APCI tested a 5 ton per day (TPD) oxygen generator with designs and construction in process for scaling up to 100 TPD, but ultimately the project had to be terminated as the membrane performance and reliability could not be demonstrated to be sufficiently attractive for commercial viability. Thus, despite the impressive progress that was made in this technology development, further improvements in membrane performance and reliability were needed to lower cost and improve efficiency. One area that offers the potential for significant reductions in operating costs and for improving efficiency is improved oxygen permeation rates through the IEMC membrane. The primary ways to achieve that goal are through developing a new material with higher ionic conductivities than current state-of-the-art materials, improving the surface kinetics of the electrode reactions, decreasing the membrane thickness, and/or lowering the cost for producing these complex membrane structures. In this project, HiFunda and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) developed a new IEMC membrane material from the family of double perovskite materials with improved ionic conductivity and surface kinetics over state-of-the-art materials in conjunction with improvements in the manufacturing process through advancements in plasma spray technology. In this SBIR project, HiFunda and Georgia Tech collaborated to develop new IEMC materials from the family of double perovskite materials with improved ionic conductivity over state-of-the-art materials, identified combinations of surface catalysts and improved membrane materials that provided improved performance, demonstrated the ability to produce membranes with the required double perovskite compositions using plasma spray processes, including a novel solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process, and made progress and identified issues that still need to be overcome with the manufacture and scale up of these novel plasma spray membranes using plasma-spray based processing. IEMC membrane-based oxygen production technology represents a revolutionary approach to producing high-quality, tonnage-quantity oxygen. Highly efficient oxygen gas separation represents a key enabling technology for increasing efficiency and lowering cost in various applications involving advanced power generation systems, metallurgical operations and chemical processes. These benefits will be translated to the public through lower cost for goods and services in addition to lower cost for energy. Increased national security will come from decreased dependence on imported oil by making local resources, such as coal and natural gas, competitive in energy generation markets. Finally, making low-cost oxygen available in these industries results in cleaner power production and reduced emissions of polluting gases. Many other industries such as steel, glass, non-ferrous metals, refining, chemicals, and pulp and paper, that are also intensive users of processed oxygen, are also expected to realize significant cost, efficiency, environmental, and productivity benefits as a result of IEMC membrane based oxygen production. Eliminating potential hazards and accidents of transporting high-purity oxygen along with providing efficiency improvements, energy savings and reduced emissions of polluting gases across a broad range of industries will all combine together to provide a significant benefit to the general public and the US industrial sector.
- Research Organization:
- HiFunda LLC, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Contributing Organization:
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0013248
- OSTI ID:
- 1482209
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase II)
- Report Number(s):
- HF2018.SBIR.13248.2F
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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