(98c) Ultra-Pure Hydrogen Production From Renewables for PEM Fuel Cells

Recent concerns over the security and reliability of the world’s energy supply have caused a shift towards the study of renewable sources. The generation of ultra-pure hydrogen (H₂) from biomass-derived synthesis gas and its integration with fuel cell systems has the potential for a high-energy efficiency, ultra-clean environmental performance, and near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass gasification is a process that produces synthesis gas (syngas) from organic matters such as wood chips, farm waste, and forest debris. In order to efficiently produce H₂ gas suitable for operating fuel cells, carbon monoxide (CO) must be reduced to less than 10 parts per million (ppm) to prevent the poisoning of the fuel cell’s platinum catalyst. In this study, the Water Gas Shift (WGS) system was utilized to reduce CO in the syngas to an acceptable level for powering a PEM fuel cell. Initially, the WGS system consisted of two-stage commercial catalysts: a high temperature shift catalyst (HTSC), Fe₃O₄/Cr₂O₃, and a low temperature shift catalyst (LTSC), Cu/Zn/Al₂O₃ to establish baseline data. Runs are now underway to develop a more efficient catalyst for WGS by evaluating the effect of support on the efficiency of CO removal.