Natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer
Abstract
An efficient method of producing hydrogen by high temperature steam electrolysis that will lower the electricity consumption to an estimated 65 percent lower than has been achievable with previous steam electrolyzer systems. This is accomplished with a natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer, which significantly reduces the electricity consumption. Since this natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer replaces one unit of electrical energy by one unit of energy content in natural gas at one-quarter the cost, the hydrogen production cost will be significantly reduced. Also, it is possible to vary the ratio between the electricity and the natural gas supplied to the system in response to fluctuations in relative prices for these two energy sources. In one approach an appropriate catalyst on the anode side of the electrolyzer will promote the partial oxidation of natural gas to CO and hydrogen, called Syn-Gas, and the CO can also be shifted to CO.sub.2 to give additional hydrogen. In another approach the natural gas is used in the anode side of the electrolyzer to burn out the oxygen resulting from electrolysis, thus reducing or eliminating the potential difference across the electrolyzer membrane.
- Inventors:
-
- San Jose, CA
- Berkeley, CA
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872953
- Patent Number(s):
- 6051125
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25B - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- natural; gas-assisted; steam; electrolyzer; efficient; method; producing; hydrogen; temperature; electrolysis; electricity; consumption; estimated; 65; percent; achievable; previous; systems; accomplished; significantly; reduces; replaces; unit; electrical; energy; content; gas; one-quarter; cost; production; reduced; vary; ratio; supplied; response; fluctuations; relative; prices; sources; approach; appropriate; catalyst; anode; promote; partial; oxidation; called; syn-gas; shifted; additional; burn; oxygen; resulting; reducing; eliminating; potential; difference; membrane; temperature steam; significantly reduce; efficient method; potential difference; energy sources; natural gas; partial oxidation; electrical energy; energy source; significantly reduced; producing hydrogen; significantly reduces; hydrogen production; energy content; steam electrolyzer; gas supplied; production cost; additional hydrogen; /205/204/
Citation Formats
Pham, Ai-Quoc, Wallman, P Henrik, and Glass, Robert S. Natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Pham, Ai-Quoc, Wallman, P Henrik, & Glass, Robert S. Natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer. United States.
Pham, Ai-Quoc, Wallman, P Henrik, and Glass, Robert S. Sat .
"Natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872953.
@article{osti_872953,
title = {Natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer},
author = {Pham, Ai-Quoc and Wallman, P Henrik and Glass, Robert S},
abstractNote = {An efficient method of producing hydrogen by high temperature steam electrolysis that will lower the electricity consumption to an estimated 65 percent lower than has been achievable with previous steam electrolyzer systems. This is accomplished with a natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer, which significantly reduces the electricity consumption. Since this natural gas-assisted steam electrolyzer replaces one unit of electrical energy by one unit of energy content in natural gas at one-quarter the cost, the hydrogen production cost will be significantly reduced. Also, it is possible to vary the ratio between the electricity and the natural gas supplied to the system in response to fluctuations in relative prices for these two energy sources. In one approach an appropriate catalyst on the anode side of the electrolyzer will promote the partial oxidation of natural gas to CO and hydrogen, called Syn-Gas, and the CO can also be shifted to CO.sub.2 to give additional hydrogen. In another approach the natural gas is used in the anode side of the electrolyzer to burn out the oxygen resulting from electrolysis, thus reducing or eliminating the potential difference across the electrolyzer membrane.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}