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Process design, exergy, and economic assessment of a conceptual mobile autothermal methane pyrolysis unit for onsite hydrogen production

Tabat, Meshach E.; Omoarukhe, Fredrick O.; Güleç, Fatih; Adeniyi, Dare E.; Mukherjee, Alivia; Okoye, Patrick U.; Ogbaga, Chukwuma C.; Epelle, Emmanuel I.; Akande, Olugbenga; Okolie, Jude A.

Process design, exergy, and economic assessment of a conceptual mobile autothermal methane pyrolysis unit for onsite hydrogen production Thumbnail


Authors

Meshach E. Tabat

Fredrick O. Omoarukhe

DR FATIH GULEC FATIH.GULEC1@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Assistant Professor in Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Dare E. Adeniyi

Alivia Mukherjee

Patrick U. Okoye

Chukwuma C. Ogbaga

Emmanuel I. Epelle

Olugbenga Akande

Jude A. Okolie



Abstract

The present study proposes a conceptual mobile autothermal methane pyrolysis unit for onsite hydrogen production. Considering the shortage of hydrogen pipeline infrastructure between production plants and fuelling stations in most places where hydrogen is required, it is imperative to create alternative hydrogen production means. The design combines a catalytic plasma methane pyrolysis unit with a steam char gasification setup, combustion, and biomethanation unit for hydrogen production. The reactor design includes Ni - Br in a bubble column acting as a catalyst. Energy and exergy calculations followed by a comprehensive economic analysis were appraised to evaluate the efficiency and performance of the integrated process. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) from the conceptual design ranged from 1.3 to 1.47 U.S.$/kg, while the proposed design's net present value (NPV) was in the range of 3.76 – 4.35 M.U.S.$. Factors such as equipment purchase cost (EPC) and feedstock cost significantly influenced the NPV and LCOH. In addition, a positive NPV and lower LCOH outline the proposed design's profitability. Finally, an optimized methane conversion of 76.8 % was obtained from the study.

Citation

Tabat, M. E., Omoarukhe, F. O., Güleç, F., Adeniyi, D. E., Mukherjee, A., Okoye, P. U., …Okolie, J. A. (2023). Process design, exergy, and economic assessment of a conceptual mobile autothermal methane pyrolysis unit for onsite hydrogen production. Energy Conversion and Management, 278, Article 116707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.116707

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 14, 2023
Online Publication Date Jan 23, 2023
Publication Date Feb 15, 2023
Deposit Date Feb 9, 2023
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Energy Conversion and Management
Print ISSN 0196-8904
Publisher Elsevier BV
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 278
Article Number 116707
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.116707
Keywords Energy Engineering and Power Technology; Fuel Technology; Nuclear Energy and Engineering; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/17082371
Publisher URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196890423000535?via%3Dihub