High-Purity Hydrogen Production with the Reformer Steam Iron Cycle

Abstract

The decentralized production of renewable hydrogen enables the build-up of an infrastructure for low-emissions fuel-cell-based power production and mobility. The reformer steam iron cycle (RESC) is introduced as one technological option to realize on-site hydrogen production by combining production, purification, and storage with a low environmental impact. A hydrogen production prototype is developed, constructed, and operated with mixtures of methane and carbon dioxide as a reference for biogas. Hydrogen with a purity of 99.8 % is produced without the need for an additional gas purification step. Methane and carbon dioxide are identified as the primary impurities in the hydrogen fuel; the carbon monoxide content of the hydrogen produced is in the range of 15–24 ppm in the demonstration phase of the prototype reactor.