Hydrogen separation cost analysis

Smith, R., E. A. Petela, 1991-1992, Waste minimisation in process industries. The Chemical Engineer (UK), ibid. 1. The problem, 24-25, Oct. 1991, ibid. 2. Reactors. 17-23, Dec. 1991, ibid 3. Separation and recycle systems, 24-28 Febr. 1992, ibid 4. Process operations, 21-23, April 1992, ibid 5. Utility waste, 32-35, July, 1992 Towler, G. P., R. Mann, A. J. Serriere, C. M. D. Gabaude, 1996, Refinery hydrogen management cost analysis of chemically-integrated facilities, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 35 (78), 2378-2388... 

Hydrogen must be chemically separated from some other material. Currently, natural gas is the most common feedstock, but coal is also used. Biomass could be used in the future. The full costs of the production, processing, and purification of these hydrocarbon feedstocks are included in this analysis. When these materials are used to produce hydrogen, the required energy is embedded in the feedstock. (See Chapter 8 and Appendix E for more details.)... 

As indicated in the DTI techno-economic analysis report, the particle-based systems offer some of the best hope for low-cost hydrogen production on a large scale, but there are a number of unique design challenges posed by this approach. For example, charge separation within each catalyst particle needs to be enhanced. The photocathode particle has to simultaneously reduce hydrogen and oxidize the mediator at separate surface sites. Similarly, the photoanode particle must both... 

The last section Applied Aspects of Membrane Gas Separation contains three chapters. Brunetti et al. start their contribution with a brief review of membrane materials and membranes used in gas separation and survey the main directions of industrial applications of gas separation (hydrogen recovery, air separation, etc.). In the second part of their chapter they present a new concept for comparison of membrane and other, more traditional, methods for gas separation. Their approach includes a consideration of engineering, economical, environmental and social indicators. Something similar had been written 15 years ago [2] but this analysis is now rather outdated. White (Chapter 15) focuses on a specific but very important problem in industrial gas separation membrane separation of natural gas. The main emphasis is on cellulose acetate based membranes that have the longest history of practical applications. This chapter also contains the results of field tests of these membranes and considers approaches how to reduce the size and cost of industrial membrane systems. The final chapter is an example of detailed engineering... 

---