ADVANCED HYDROGEN TRANSPORT MEMBRANES FOR VISION 21 FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS
Eltron Research Inc., and team members, are developing an environmentally benign, inexpensive, and efficient method for separating hydrogen from gas mixtures produced during industrial processes, such as coal gasification. This project was motivated by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Vision 21 initiative which seeks to economically eliminate environmental concerns associated with the use of fossil fuels. This objective is being pursued using dense membranes based in part on Eltron-patented ceramic materials with a demonstrated ability for proton and electron conduction. The technical goals are being addressed by modifying single-phase and composite membrane composition and microstructure to maximize proton and electron conductivity without loss of material stability. Ultimately, these materials must enable hydrogen separation at practical rates under ambient and high-pressure conditions, without deactivation in the presence of feedstream components such as carbon dioxide, water, and sulfur. During this quarter, it was demonstrated that increasing the transition metal loading in a model perovskite composition resulted in an increase in hydrogen flux. Improved flux corresponded to the emergence of additional phases in the ceramic membrane, and highest flux was achieved for a composite consisting of pseudo-cubic and rhombohedral perovskite phases. A 0.9-mm thick membrane of this material generated a hydrogen flux in excess of 0.1 mL/min/cm{sup 2}, which was approximately 35 times greater than analogs with lower transition metal levels. The dopant level and crystal structure also correlated with membrane density and coefficient of thermal expansion, but did not appear to affect grain size or shape. Additionally, preliminary ceramic-metal (cermet) composite membranes demonstrated a 10-fold increase in flux relative to analogous membranes composed of only the ceramic component. The hydrogen flux for these cermet samples corresponded to a conductivity of {approx} 10{sup -3} S/cm, which was consistent with the predicted proton conductivity of the ceramic phase. Increasing the sweep gas flow rate in test reactors was found to significantly increase hydrogen flux, as well as apparent material conductivity for all samples tested. Adding humidity to the feed gas stream produced a small increase in hydrogen flux. However, the catalyst on ceramic membrane surfaces did not affect flux, which suggested that the process was membrane-diffusion limited. Representative samples and fabrication processes were evaluated on the basis of manufacturing practicality. it was determined that optimum membrane densification occurs over a very narrow temperature range for the subject ceramics. Additionally, calcination temperatures currently employed result in powders that are difficult mill and screen. These issues must be addressed to improve large-scale fabricability.
- Research Organization:
- Eltron Research Inc. (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-00NT40762
- OSTI ID:
- 809130
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 30 Apr 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ADVANCED HYDROGEN TRANSPORT MEMBRANES FOR VISION 21 FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS
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