HYDROGEN GENERATION SYSTEM WITH ZERO CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BASED ON COMPLEMENTARY UTILIZATION OF METHANE AND SOLAR ENERGY

Ma Wenjing; Han Wei; Song Xinyang; Liu Qibin

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1252

Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (11) : 500-508. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1252

HYDROGEN GENERATION SYSTEM WITH ZERO CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BASED ON COMPLEMENTARY UTILIZATION OF METHANE AND SOLAR ENERGY

Ma Wenjing^1,2, Han Wei^2,3, Song Xinyang^2,3, Liu Qibin^2,3

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Abstract

To achieve efficient and low-carbon hydrogen generation, a zero carbon emission hydrogen production system combining methane and solar energy is proposed. The system decouples one-stage methane reforming into two-stage methane reforming： a portion of high-temperature flue gas is introduced into the pre-reforming reactor as reactants, and the reaction heat is provided by solar energy; The reaction heat during the reforming process is providedby combusting purge gas with oxygen from the electrolytic cell. Another part of the flue gas is directly condensed and separated carbon dioxide after preheating the water to be electrolyzed. Energy and exergy balance analyses are conducted on the proposed and reference systems. The results demonstrate that the energy and exergy efficiencies of the proposed system are improved to 42.88% and 39.21%, respectively, by 4.77 and 4.53 percentage points compared to the reference system. Using the exergy utilization diagram （EUD） reveals the main reasons for improved system performance. Comprehensive utilization of solar energy through thermochemistry and electrochemistry. This not only increases the efficiency of solar energy utilization, but also eliminates high-energy consumption carbon dioxide separation devices, resulting in a total increase of 4.23 percentage points in exergy efficiency. The two-stage methane with flue gas reforming process reduces the exergy destruction of high-grade methane chemical energy into low-grade thermal energy during combustion, as well as the heat loss in the heat exchange process, resulting in a total increase of 2.02 percentage points in exergy efficiency.

Key words

hydrogen production / methane reforming / thermochemistry / electrochemistry / zero carbon emission

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Ma Wenjing, Han Wei, Song Xinyang, Liu Qibin. HYDROGEN GENERATION SYSTEM WITH ZERO CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BASED ON COMPLEMENTARY UTILIZATION OF METHANE AND SOLAR ENERGY[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2025, 46(11): 500-508 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1252

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