A study of the reaction chemistry in the production of hydrogen from coal using a novel process concept.

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Coal, Coal conversion (excluding IGCC))
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen production)

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Chemical Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Prof J Dennis
Chemical Engineering
University of Cambridge

Standard

EPSRC

01 April 2005

31 May 2008

38 months

£185,730

Energy

East of England

Engineering science: flow -- Process Environment and Sustainability

Prof J Dennis, Chemical Engineering, University of Cambridge

Professor J Davidson, Chemical Engineering, University of Cambridge

The UK is planning to reduce its emission of fossil derived carbon dioxide to meet the terms of the Kyoto Protocol. This will require large reductions in the quantities that are emitted to the atmosphere from power generation processes that consume fossil fuels, particularly coal. The present strategy seems to be to increase the proportion of our energy that is produced from sustainable sources. However, there are serious concerns that sustainable fuels will not fill the energy gap that will exist, if the UK reduces its fossil derived energy to the level that would be required to meet the Kyoto emission levels. Therefore, the concept of generating power from coal, with zero or near zero emissions of carbon dioxide is receiving seious consideration in both Europe and the USA. Several conceptual plant options have been developed. In this proposal, one novel option is considered that is based on the production of methane by the hydrogasification of coal and its subsequent reformationto produce a stream of hydrogen (after suitable processing and separation). Part of the hydrogen is used in the methanation stage, with the balance available for zero emission power generation. In the project, underpinning scientific data will be obtained in several of the key areas of the concept. These areas include the extents and rates of reactions in the gasifier and the combined reforming, shift and carbonation reactions that are used to produce the concentrated hydrogen stream. Data isnot currently available in the literature, under conditions required for the zero emissions power plant. The data to be obtained will be used to test the concept and progress the design of a novel zero emission power plant

01/01/07