Steam-Iron Process Using Methane as Feedstock

1 Steam-Iron Process Using Methane as Feedstock 

Hydrogen production by SIP can be accomplished through direct and indirect employment of hydrocarbon feedstocks (e.g., NG). In the direct employment method, iron oxide directly reacts with methane or other hydrocarbons to produce the reduced form of iron oxide and methane oxidation products, according to the following generic reaction  

Ni species in Ni—Cr—FeOx were present as Ni—Fe alloys after the reduction with methane and as Ni metal crystallites after oxidation with steam. Kodama et al. [54] demonstrated the production of syngas by oxidizing methane with Ni039Fe261O4/ZrO2 at 800-900°C as follows  

Reduced Ni-Fe alloy was oxidized back to the original ferrite in the presence of steam. 

Indirect employment of hydrocarbons involves a preliminary conversion (e.g., by steam reforming) of hydrocarbons to syngas followed by the reduction of iron oxides with H2 and CO components of the syngas. The following reactions occur during the reduction of 

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