(744f) Sorption-Enhanced Water Gas Shift (SE-WGS) Reaction Processes for the Production of High-Purity Hydrogen

The interest of hydrogen, regarded as an alternative energy carrier, has been increasing with expectation of the upcoming hydrogen economy. As one of methods for the bulk hydrogen production, water gas shift (WGS) reaction processes using synthesis gas feeds produced by the gasification of carbonaceous feedstocks has been highlighted. The performance of WGS reaction is significantly increased by applying the sorption-enhanced reaction (SER) concept. In the reaction of sorption-enhanced WGS (SE-WGS) reactions, the WGS reaction and CO₂ removal by sorption are carried out simultaneously in a single reactor. For the successful fulfillment of SE-WGS reaction, adopting the novel materials that can capture high-temperature CO₂, and managing homogenous packing of catalyst and sorbent are crucial. In this study, the SE-WGS reactions were experimentally demonstrated using Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst and double salt-based sorbent pellets. High-purity hydrogen could be directly from the SE-WGS reaction as a result of applying double salt-based CO₂ sorbent, and the effect of the degree of homogeneity for the catalyst and sorbent in a column was further investigated by applying divided section packing concept. The productivity of high-purity hydrogen could be enhanced when more catalyst was packed in the former sections and more sorbent in the later sections.