Hydrogen production from wheat industry co-product

Completed

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen production)

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr A Guwy
School of Applied Sciences
University of Glamorgan

3

Carbon Trust

01 September 2005

30 August 2007

23 months

£209,992

Wales

Dr A Guwy, School of Applied Sciences, University of Glamorgan

Project Contact, Hydrogen Solar Ltd
Project Contact, Rank Hovis Ltd

The overall objective of the project is to determine the potential of fermentation technology to produce either hydrogen biofuel or a hydrogen-enriched, methane biofuel from wheatfeed (an inevitable co-product of flour milling).

Fermentative hydrogen production from wheatfeed is a new process with a potential to replace diesel (currently used in static applications and motor vehicles) with a sustainable, carbon-neutral fuel. A previous feasibility study funded by the Carbon Trust gave promising laboratory scale results, but was constrained by scale associated material transport and fluid dynamic limitations. This study will use the laboratory-scale data to specify a larger scale reactor such that commercial pumps canbe used to allow continuous, automatic and reliable operation. This will enable a full experimental programme to be carried out to establish the optimal reaction conditions and potential hydrogen yields. Unlike the laboratory-scale work, this facility will include an anaerobic digester which will allow the true commercial potential to be evaluated, based on final process output data. The main technical objectives are to: design and construct a hydrogen producing reactor at a scale suitable forreliable, continuous delivery of the wheatfeed at the rate needed and an anaerobic digester to convert the remaining organics to methane; specify an experimental programme using the reactor to determine the continuous operating conditions that give maximum hydrogen yields with minimum water and nutrient addition; operate the reactor and anaerobic digester on wheatfeed according to the experimental programme to determine conditions for optimal hydrogen production and the nature of the outputs;produce a conceptual pilot-scale plant specification with a net energy balance and outline economic assessment. The project team will meet these objectives through designing, commissioning and operating reactors at the Rank Hovis Barry flour mill. Rank Hovis will also provide infrastructure, wheatfeed, technical assistance and relevant data. Both Rank Hovis and Hydrogen Solar Ltd will assist in assessing the project results for technical and economic viability

01/01/07