Production of hydrogen by thermocatalytic cracking of natural gas
- Univ. of Central Florida, Cape Canaveral, FL (United States)
It is universally accepted that in the next few decades hydrogen production will continue to rely on fossil fuels (primarily, natural gas). On the other hand, the conventional methods of hydrogen production from natural gas (for example, steam reforming) are complex multi-step processes. These processes also result in the emission of large quantities of CO{sub 2} into the atmosphere that produce adverse ecological effects. One alternative is the one-step thermocatalytic cracking (TCC) (or decomposition) of natural gas into hydrogen and carbon. Preliminary analysis indicates that the cost of hydrogen produced by thermal decomposition of natural gas is somewhat lower than the conventional processes after by-product carbon credit is taken. In the short term, this process can be used for on-site production of hydrogen-methane mixtures in gas-filling stations and for CO{sub x}-free production of hydrogen for fuel cell driven prime movers. The experimental data on the thermocatalytic cracking of methane over various catalysts and supports in a wide range of temperatures (500-900{degrees}C) are presented in this paper. Two types of reactors were designed and built at FSEC: continuous flow and pulse fix bed catalytic reactors. The temperature dependence of the hydrogen production yield using oxide type catalysts was studied. Alumina-supported Ni- and Fe-catalysts demonstrated relatively high efficiency in the methane cracking reaction at moderate temperatures (600-800{degrees}C). Kinetic curves of hydrogen production over metal and metal oxide catalysts at different temperatures are presented in the paper. Fe-catalyst demonstrated good stability (for several hours), whereas alumina-supported Pt-catalyst rapidly lost its catalytic activity.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 183308
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-430-20036-Vol.2; CONF-9504160-VOL.2; ON: DE95009296; TRN: 95:008711-0021
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1995 DOE/NREL hydrogen program review, Coral Gables, FL (United States), 18-21 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 1995 US DOE hydrogen program review, Volume II; PB: 876 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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