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Engineering Design of Advanced H2 – CO2 Pd and Pd/Alloy Composite Membrane Separations and Process Intensification

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1460402· OSTI ID:1460402
 [1]
  1. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA (United States); Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process is a way to co-produce synthesis gas, electricity, hydrogen, fuels and chemicals from coal and coal/biomass-mix in an environmentally responsible manner. The production of hydrogen via the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction is a key part of this process. Pd and Pd/Alloy-based catalytic membrane reactors used in the WGS process could significantly improve the efficiency of the IGCC process with a great potential for process intensification. Membrane reactors enable reaction, separation and product concentration to take place in a single unit operation, leading to conversion levels beyond thermodynamic equilibrium due to the continuous removal of H2. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has developed composite Pd and Pd/alloy composite hydrogen separation membranes with high H2 flux, excellent selectivity and long-term durability for this membrane reactor process. WPI membranes used in a natural gas reforming operation were stable for over 6,000 hours (>8 months) at 500°C and 40 bar. Under the DOE Hydrogen Pathway Program (DE-FC-26-07NT43058) Pd membranes prepared by WPI exceed the DOE 2015 targets for H2 flux, selectivity and stability. Furthermore, the scalability of the WPI technology has been shown to be relatively easy, and composite Pd/Cu and Pd/Au alloy membranes have been shown to be sulfur resistant and permeance recoverable.
Research Organization:
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
DOE Contract Number:
FE0004895
OSTI ID:
1460402
Report Number(s):
DOE-WORC--4895
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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