Hydrogen Production

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Summary: UCLA researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering have developed a new approach to produce hydrogen by decomposing water. The process takes place significantly below current thermochemical cycle temperatures. It can be used for the simultaneous generation of pure hydrogen, oxygen and electricity and can use a variety of energy sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear and solar. Background: Currently, hydrogen production is mainly based on steam reforming of methane gas or gasification of coal. These hydrogen production processes require methane, or other fossil fuels, as feedstock, create unwanted carbon dioxide as a process by-product, and require the use of capital and energy intensive separation unit operations to purify the hydrogen from undesirable by-products, such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Extensive research has been done on identifying reactions that decompose water, rather than carbon based fuels. Such sets of reactions are referred to as thermochemical cycles. There have been many attempts to create efficient thermochemical cycles with different catalysts and other reactants. To the best of our knowledge, no thermochemical cycle has achieved the efficiency of this invention. Innovation: UCLA Researchers have developed a thermochemical cycle for decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen. There are many realizations of this process involving a variety of intermediates. Thermal decomposition of water usually requires temperatures greater than 2,000C. This novel thermochemical cycle can be operated at a relatively low temperature of ~ 900C. Due to its lower operating temperatures, the decomposition can be powered by a variety of energy sources, including solar energy. The innovation lies in the optimization of intermediates, operating temperatures, kinetics, heat removal and control of the rate of reaction, and electricity cogeneration. State Of Development: The invention is at a conceptual stage, although details are known about the cycles reactions. Some of the individual steps in the process have been made and temperatures recorded. Also, kinetic information about elements of the cycle is known. Other Information: ABOUT THE LAB:  This innovation was created at the Process Control and Design Laboratory at UCLA which is focused on the advancement and application of novel design and control schemes.  Dr. Vasilios Manousiouthakis is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. - See more at: https://techtransfer.universityofcalifornia.edu/NCD/20158.html#sthash.PQFGBIJR.dpuf