Hydrogen generation

Hydrogen from methanol

I. Technical Principle 

A mixture of methanol and desalted water after heating vaporization and overheating enters into a reforming reactor. Methanol and water vapor, under the action of catalyst, complete methanol decomposition, and carbon monoxide-carbon dioxide shift reaction in the reforming reactor.

Methanol decomposition: CH3OH→CO+2H2-90.7 KJ/mol

CO shift: CO+H2O→CO2+H2+41.2 KJ/mol

Overall reaction: CH3OH+H2O→CO2+3H2-49.5 KJ/mol

The overall reaction is endothermic. The reaction products are separated through heat transfer, cooling, condensation and washing. The conversion per pass of methanol reaches 95% or more. Unreacted raw materials (such as methanol, desalinated water) are recycled. The reforming gas after washing is separated (hydrogen purification) through pressure swing adsorption.

II. Technical Indicators 

Hydrogen pressure: 0.2~3.0MPa

Hydrogen purity: 99~99.9999%

Scale: 5~100000Nm3/h

Operating temperature: 230~280℃ 

III. Characteristics and Advantages 

High methanol conversion rate: The conversion per pass is larger than 95%, with less catalysts used (condensing capacity~3t/1000Nm3)

Low consumption of methanol: 0.54kg/Nm3 H2 (conventional process), 0.5kg/Nm3 H2 (low consumption process)

Long service life of catalysts: The guaranteed service life lasts for 3 years, and service life can reach 6 years during actual operations

Strong processing capacity of reforming reactor (Hydrogen generation at 10000 Nm3/h per unit), with less investment

Recycling of raw materials, without discharge of liquid

 

Hydrogen from natural gas

I. Technical Principle 

Raw material natural gas is compressed (gas pressure for raw material is lower than 1.6Mpa), mixed with water vapor after refining desulfurization, and converted and reacted by overheating under the action of catalyst, to produce a fluidizing gas whose hydrogen content is larger than 70% (v/v%). The reforming gas is separated and purified through PSA unit to obtain the product of hydrogen.

Under the action of 800℃high temperature, a certain pressure and catalysts, alkane and water vapor contained in natural gas set off a chemical reaction to produce a reforming gas containing H2, CO, CO2, N2 and CH4. The reforming gas enters into the shift converter through the waste heat transfer, and CO is converted into H2 and CO2. CO2 is recycled through heat transfer, condensation, steam-water separation, automatic program control, and the gas passes adsorbent loaded with a plurality of specific adsorbents in turn, and the product of hydrogen is extracted after PSA adsorbing N2, CO, CH4 and CO2 through raising pressure. Impurities are released through depressurization and adsorbents are reactivated.

II. Technical Indicators 

Hydrogen pressure: 1.6~3.0Mpa

Hydrogen purity: 99~99.999%

Scale: 200~100000Nm3/h

Natural gas consumption: 0.38~0.42Nm3/Nm3 H2 

III. Technical Characteristics 

1. Natural gas is not only feed gas but also fuel gas, and requires no transport, with low demands for public works, low energy consumption of hydrogen, low consumption, and the lowest cost of hydrogen. This preparation method is suitable for large-scale hydrogen production.

2. High degree of automation, high safety performance.

3. Compared with coal gas: Small footprint, no pollution, no residue, with good environmental performance.

 

Hydrogen from biogas

I. Technical Principle 

Biogas at a lower pressure is concentrated after desulfurization and pressure swing adsorption, and the product methane is compressed, desulfurized and mixed with water vapor, and then converted and reacted by overheating under the action of catalyst, to obtain the fluidizing gas whose hydrogen content is larger than 70% (v/v%). The fluidizing gas is separated and purified by PSA unit to obtain product hydrogen.

II. Technical Indicators 

Hydrogen pressure: 1.6~3.0Mpa

Hydrogen purity: 99~99.999%

Scale: 200~100000Nm3/h

Consumption: 0.38~0.42Nm3/Nm3 H2 (converted to natural gas)

III. Characteristics and Advantages 

Separation at a lower pressure saves energy consumption and reduces production costs;

Methane recovery rate is high by using dedicated separation adsorbent.

Typical wastes-to-valuables process, with the lowest cost of hydrogen, and investment can be recovered within one year.

 

Hydrogen from coal

I. Technical Principle 

Hydrogen production from coal is also known as hydrogen (H2) production from coal gasification, including coal gas from coal steam, desulfurization process, gas conversion, purification of hydrogen through pressure swing adsorption (PSA), gasification recycling water. Coal or coke reacts with water vapor at high temperature to produce gas mainly containing hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The gas is then mixed with water vapor after cooling, dust removal and desulfurization, and sets off a shift reaction. Most carbon monoxide is converted into hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and then shift gas. The shift gas is purified into hydrogen gas (H2 with a high purity through a pressure swing adsorption (PSA).

II. Technical Indicators 

Hydrogen scale: 2000m3/h or more

Hydrogen purity: 99~99.999%

Hydrogen pressure: 0.5~3.5MPa

III. Technical Characteristics 

1. Water vapor can achieve its own balance by making use of the advanced heat recovery technology;

2. Successful application of “three waste boiler” completely solves the problem of waste disposal;

3. Hydrogen production cost is the lowest;

4. Suitable for large-scale hydrogen production.

 

Hydrogen by alkane steam-reforming

I. Technical Principle 

Raw material hydrocarbon gas is compressed (gas pressure for raw material is lower than 1.6Mpa), mixed with water vapor after refining desulfurization, and transformed and reacted by overheating under the action of catalyst into a fluidizing gas whose hydrogen content is larger than 70% (v/v%). The reforming gas is separated and purified by PSA unit to obtain product hydrogen.

II. Technical indicators 

Hydrogen pressure: 1.6~3.0Mpa

Hydrogen purity: 99~99.999%

Scale: 500~100000Nm3/h

Consumption: 0.4~0.42Nm3/Nm3 H2 (Converted to natural gas)

III. Characteristics and Advantages 

1. Low demands for public works, low energy consumption of hydrogen, low consumption, the lowest cost of hydrogen, and more suitable for large-scale hydrogen production.

2. High degree of automation, high safety performance.

3. Compared with coal gas: Small footprint, no pollution, no residue, good environmental performance.

IV. Application Fields 

Catalytic dry gas, coking dry gas, natural gas (LNG), naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), refinery dry gas and other light hydrocarbon-rich ingredients