Hydrogen from biomass via thermo-chemical route –

Status of development and perspectives

Univ. Prof. DI Dr. Hermann Hofbauer

Vienna University of Technology

Bioenergy2020+ GmbH

Content

■ Process chains for hydrogen production

■ Methane to hydrogen

■ Biomass to hydrogen

■ Chemical reactions and maximal yields

■ Polygeneration with hydrogen production

■ Definition

■ CHP and pilot plant Oberwart

■ Polygeneration process chains

■ Experimental results

■ hydrogen-electric vision

■ Conclusions

Conventional process chain: Natural gas to hydrogen

Conventional process chain: Natural gas to hydrogen

H2-Efficiency: 76 %

Tail gas

recycle

Bio-H2

Flue gas

cooler

Flue gas

filter

Combustion airSteam

Chimney

Flue gas

blower

Ash

Process chain: Biomass to hydrogen (1)Project: „BioH2-4Industries“

Biomass Reforming CO-Shift-Reaction Pressure swing adsorption (PSA)

Process chain: Biomass to hydrogen (2)Project: „BioH2-4Industries“ - Results from simulation

Efficiency:

76 % 60 %

Production of hydrogenSteam reforming

General

CHnOm + (1-m).H2O = CO + (1+n/2-m).H2

Methane (n=4, m=0)

CH4 + H2O = CO + 3.H2

Biomass (n=1,44, m=0,66)

CH1,44O0,66 + 0,34.H2O = CO + 1,06.H2

Reaction conditions: 800-900 °C

Catalysts: Ni, Ca, Fe

Production of hydrogenWater-Gas-Shift-Reaction (WGSR)

Water-Gas-Shift-Reaction (WGSR)

CO + H2O = CO2 + H2

Biomass:

CO + 1,06.H2 + H2O = CO2 + 2,06.H2

WGSR conditions: 350-450 °C

Catalysts: Fe, Cr, Co, Mo, Sn

Methane:

CO + 3.H2 + H2O = CO2 + 4.H2

Maximum Yields

500 gH2 / kgnat.gas

~ 10 kgH2 / GJ

172 gH2 / kgwood

~ 10 kgH2 / GJ

Fuel

Pretreatment Gasification Gas Cleaning

Heat & Electricity

Production

Biogenous Residues

Energy Plants

Heat &

Electricity

Wood

Clean

Bio-H2Shift Reaction+

Gas Separation

Pilot Plant

Slip-Stream

1-6 m3/h

Polygeneration

Polygeneration process chain

Biomass to hydrogen and other products

Product gas from biomass steam reforming

Volume based Energy based

Gasification plant Oberwart

8 MW fuel input

2000 kg/h wood chips

2000 m3/h product gas

30 % electrical efficiency

30.000 operation hours

Dual Fluidized Bed (DFB) gasification Oberwartgasification = reforming heat & powerGas cleaningpower

Folie 13

Polygeneration Full process chain for hydrogen production

Container with pilot plant at CHP Oberwart

View into research container (1)left hand side

Membran

Pressure Swing

Adsorption

PEM Fuel Cell

View into research container (2)right hand side

Folie 16

Water Gas Shift

Reaction

PolygenerationProcess chain 1 for hydrogen production

Main gas components along the process chain 1

Hydrogen

purity: 99,95 %

Data for PEM-fuel cell

■ Type: PEM FC „Mobixane“

■ Nominal load: 2500W

■ Minimal load: 500W

■ Electrical efficiency: about 50 %

PolygenerationProcess chain 2 for hydrogen production

CHP Plant

clean prod. gas

LT gas

scrubbing1-step PI

membranePSA PEMFC

H2

- Recovery

Electricity consumption

Specific BioH2 production gBioH2/kgWood 13,5 47,9

LT gas

scrubbingPSA PEMFCWG-shift

CHP Plant

clean prod. gas

% Nm3BioH2/Nm3

H2 in PG 40 128

kWhel/Nm3BioH2 1,69 0,46

Comparison of performance data of

process chain 1 and 2

Process chain 1

Process chain 2

Hydrogen mass flows of process chain 2

to gas engine

CHP

Polygeneration – flexibility & potential

Hydrogen0

60

% Efficiency

30

80

Hydrogen

Electricity

Heat

Process

chain 1

Process

chain 2gH2/kgwood

80

CHP

Oberwart

Project

„BioH2-

4industries“

40

Economic analysis of hydrogen production based on steam reforming

Source: DBFZ 2013

DFB.

Gasification

9 MW H2

Heat Pipe.

Reformer

3 MW H2

Biogas

Reforming

6 MW H2

Fossil

Reference

Biogas

Reforming

6 MW H2

hydrogen-electric visionhydrogen-electric vision

BioH2BIOMASS-TO-HYDROGEN

Thank you for your kind attention !

Univ. Prof. Dr. Hermann Hofbauer

Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Chemical Engineering

A-1060 Getreidemarkt 9/166