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Sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) is a promising alternative for H2 production with inherent CO2 capture. This study evaluates the techno-economic performance of SE-SMR in a network of fixed beds and its integration with a solid oxide fuel cell (SE-SMR-SOFC) for power generation. The analysis revealed that both proposed systems are...
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Context 1
... 3 -LCOH (a) and AC SE-SMR (b) sensitivity analysis. Figure 4 shows the contribution of the main components (see Table 6 for the detailed costs) on the total cost of SE-SMR-SOFC. In this case, the SOFC is the most expensive component, with a specific cost of investment of about 4 000 €kW -1 , which is in accordance with data reported by ...
Context 2
... 6a shows the results of the sensitivity analysis in term of LCOE, while Figure 6b shows AC. Since the majority of the investment cost for SE-SMR-SOFC is for the capital cost of the SOFC (80.2%, see Figure 4), this latter has the strongest impact on both LCOE (-5.4% to 5.1%) and AC (- 11.9% to 10.6%). Even though the impact is smaller than in the SE-SMR system, due to the large influence of SOFC cost on TCR, in this case the economic performance of the system is highly affected by the specific cost of fuel (LCOE varies between 3% and AC between 0.5). ...
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BACKGROUND
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Citations
... In order to address a wide range of concerns, it is required to conduct an exhaustive investigation of the construction and operation of reactors. Previous research (Diglio et al., 2017;Chisalita and Cormos, 2019) has shown that using SE-SMR technology may speed up the procedure. This finding supports the hypothesis that the acceleration is due to the technology. ...
Renewable energy sources are gaining prominence as petroleum-based fuels deplete, necessitating alternative options. The aviation industry, facing increasing demand for both conventional and alternative fuels, is exploring blue hydrogen as a cleaner substitute for traditional jet fuels. This paper evaluates recent advancements in blue hydrogen production methods and hydrogen carriers such as ammonia, metal hydrides, formic acids, carbohydrates, and liquid-organic-hydrogen carriers (LOHC).
Developed economies are actively researching biofuels as potential alternatives to petroleum, offering reduced emissions, enhanced fuel security, and improved sustainability. The power-to-liquid (PtL) method is employed to assess a sustainable alternative fuel, chemically matching regular jet fuel using water, CO2, and renewable energy. The study examines various biofuels and their application in aviation, comparing the techno-economic and environmental performance of PtL fuels to fossil and biomass-derived jet fuels. To estimate combustion flue gas properties, a model using Aspen Plus is developed, simulating the performance of a CFM56–7B turbofan engine with alternative fuels. Biodiesel, ethanol, n-butanol, 70% NH3–30% H2, and CH4 are evaluated, demonstrating comparable temperatures to conventional jet fuels. The NH3-H2 blend, while exhibiting lower thrust, limits the aircraft range due to reduced thrust compared to JET-A1 and kerosene-gasoline fuels. Ethanol shows slightly better thrust and range performance than the NH3-H2 blend but still falls short of conventional jet fuels. Biofuel and n-butanol emerge as promising replacements, demonstrating comparable thrust and range performance, with only a 15% reduction in aircraft range compared to JET-A1 fuel. The study provides valuable insights into the potential of these alternative fuels, emphasizing the need to consider combustion flue gas temperatures and their impact on existing power plants.
... To perform annualization, it was considered that the project interest rate and amortization years were equal to 8.75% and 20, respectively, for both the reference and the proposed systems. According to the literature [21], specific fixed (FOM) and variable (VOM) operating and maintenance costs were assumed to be 2% of TCRs for both systems. ...
An innovative process layout for sludge waste management based on chemical looping combustion and flue gas methanation is analyzed in this work. The technical performance of the system was assessed by considering that the flue gas is first purified and then mixed with a pure hydrogen stream sourced from an array of electrolysis cells to produce methane. The life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) methodologies were applied to quantify the environmental and economic performances of the proposed process, and a hotspot analysis was carried out to recognize its most critical steps. The proposed system was then compared with a reference system that includes both the conventional waste management pathways for the Italian context and methane production. Finally, to account for the variability in the future economic climate, the effects of changes in landfill storage costs on sewage end-of-life costs for both the proposed and reference systems were evaluated. With respect to 1 kg/h of sewage sludge with 10%wt of humidity, the analysis shows that the proposed system (i) reduces landfill wastes by about 68%, (ii) has an end-of-life cost of 1.75 EUR∙kg−1, and (iii) is environmentally preferable to conventional sewage sludge treatment technologies with respect to several impact categories.
... Considering a techno-economic valuation of an SE-SMR process with a fixed bed reactor incorporated with a fuel cell calculated the charge of CO 2 sidestepped to be 32.52 £ per each kg [114]. Another assessment compared the economic feasibility of a SE-SMR process with the integration of an oxy-fuel combustion unit, the combination of a chemical looping combustion unit, and a biomass-fired calciner. ...
... They found that as the velocity increased, the hydrogen concentration decreased. However, even at the highest velocity, the hydrogen concentration still exceeded [26][27][28][29]. ...
... While there have been a few previous studies evaluating the costs of SE-SR for hydrogen production, a direct comparison to other state-ofthe-art commercially available options is still lacking in the public domain. Instead, studies were based on economic evaluations of conceptual designs for SE-SR process [26][27][28]. More recently, Yan et al. [27] explored the economic and technical feasibility of six different sorptionenhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) configurations, at H 2 flowrate of 19.5 t/h, integrated with an indirect natural gas and biomass-fired calciner, chemical-looping combustion and oxy-fuel combustion. ...
... However, the general trend of SE-600 and AG-CCS-600 having lower costs than SMR-CCS-600 aligns with previously reported trends for autothermal and SE-SR processes in literature [26,84,85]. For a ~ 60 MWth SE-SMR capacity, the findings of Dat Vo et al. [84] revealed that the SE-SMR system achieved an energy efficiency of 82.2 % based on lower heating value calculations. ...
... The literature presents methane as the most adopted SOFC fuel feeding. Methane, CH 4 , is the cleanest and simplest hydrocarbon, although it must be subjected to fuel treatment before being electro-oxidated [181][182][183][184][185], revealing electric efficiencies higher than 45%. In fact, it is the fuel most subjected to steam reforming for the production of hydrogen [186][187][188][189][190]. By typing the string "steam methane reforming" into the web page of a well-known "search engine", more than 23,000 results related to peer-reviewed journals were found, while more than 5000 results were obtained by typing the string "methane SOFC". ...
This paper presents a comprehensive overview on the current status of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) energy systems technology with a deep insight into the techno-energy performance. In recent years, SOFCs have received growing attention in the scientific landscape of high efficiency energy technologies. They are fuel flexible, highly efficient, and environmentally sustainable. The high working temperature makes it possible to work in cogeneration, and drive downstream bottomed cycles such as Brayton and Hirn/Rankine ones, thus configuring the hybrid system of a SOFC/turbine with very high electric efficiency. Fuel flexibility makes SOFCs independent from pure hydrogen feeding, since hydrocarbons can be fed directly to the SOFC and then converted to a hydrogen rich stream by the internal thermochemical processes. SOFC is also able to convert carbon monoxide electrochemically, thus contributing to energy production together with hydrogen. SOFCs are much considered for being supplied with biofuels, especially biogas and syngas, so that biomass gasifiers/SOFC integrated systems contribute to the “waste to energy” chain with a significant reduction in pollution. The paper also deals with the analysis of techno-energy performance by means of ad hoc developed numerical modeling, in relation to the main operating parameters. Ample prominence is given to the aspect of fueling, emphasizing fuel processing with a deep discussion on the impurities and undesired phenomena that SOFCs suffer. Constituent materials, geometry, and design methods for the balance of plant were studied. A wide analysis was dedicated to the hybrid system of the SOFC/turbine and to the integrated system of the biomass gasifier/SOFC. Finally, an overview of SOFC system manufacturing companies on SOFC research and development worldwide and on the European roadmap was made to reflect the interest in this technology, which is an important signal of how communities are sensitive toward clean, low carbon, and efficient technologies, and therefore to provide a decisive and firm impulse to the now outlined energy transition.
... Simpson and [29][30][31]. Gangadharan et al. [32], Rhodes et al. [33], and other papers performed techno-economic analysis combining SMR with carbon sequestration [34][35][36][37][38][39][40]. The authors have mapped the cost structures and economics of H 2 production from different conversion pathways, including the factors affecting the techno-economic analysis of SMR, CO 2 utilization, and life cycle assessment. ...
The European Union (EU) imports a large amount of natural gas, and the injection of renewable hydrogen (H 2) into the natural gas systems could help decarbonize the sector. The new geopolitical and energy market situation demands urgent actions in the clean energy transition and energy independence from fossil fuels. This paper aims to investigate techno-economic analysis, barriers, and constraints in the EU policies/frameworks that affect natural gas decarbonization. First, the study examines the levelized cost of hydrogen production (LCOH). The LCOH is evaluated for blue and grey hydrogen, i.e., Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) natural gas as the feed-stock, with and without carbon capture, and green hydrogen (three type electrolyzers with electricity from the grid, solar, and wind) for the years 2020, 2030, and 2050. Second, the study evaluates the current policies and framework based on a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Weakness) analysis, which includes a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) macroeconomic factor assessment with a case study in Portugal. The results show that the cheapest production costs continue to be dominated by grey hydrogen (1.33 €/kg.H 2) and blue hydrogen (1.68 €/kg.H 2) in comparison to green hydrogen (4.65 €/kg.H 2 and 3.54 €/kg.H 2) from grid electricity and solar power in the PEM-Polymer Electrolyte Membrane for the year 2020, respectively. The costs are expected to decrease to 4.03 €/kg.H 2 (grid-electricity) and 2.49 €/kg.H 2 (solar-electricity) in 2030. The LCOH of the green grid-electricity and solar/wind-powered Alkaline Electrolyzer (ALK) and Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) are also expected to decrease in the time-span from 2020 to 2050. A sensitivity analysis shows that investments costs, electricity price, the efficiency of electrolyzers, and carbon tax (for SMR) could play a key role in reducing LCOH, thereby making the economic competitiveness of hydrogen production. The key barriers are costs, amendments in rules/regulations, institutions and market creation, public perception, provisions of incentives, and constraints in creating market demand.
... Integration of conventional steam CH 4 reforming for H 2 generation with some other technology such as fuel cells has the potential to improve the economics of the process. It is interesting to assess the economic viability of coupling CO 2 sorption assisted steam CH 4 reforming (in a series of eight fixed beds) with solid oxide fuel cells to generate electricity [336]. The levelized cost of H 2 without fuel cell coupling was reported to be € 1.6 per kg of H 2 whereas the cost of carbon dioxide avoided was € 29.9 per ton CO 2 . ...
Deployment of fossil fuels to quench the energy demand of the world's rising population results in elevated levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially CO2, which in turn is responsible for undesirable climate change. This necessitates a shift toward cleaner energy resources such as hydrogen. Enhanced hydrogen production via steam reforming of diverse fuels (methane, biomass, organic wastes, etc.) with in-situ CO2-sorption seems to be a promising alternative. Leading-edge, innovative and eco-friendly pathways coupled with high process efficiencies are needed for the development and growth of this technology. This review article evaluates the fundamental concepts such as criteria for CO2 uptake, mechanisms, thermodynamics and kinetics of the water gas shift reaction along with different modeling methods for sorption enhanced processes. Moreover, research works carried out worldwide at lab-scale coupled with process development and demonstration units are discussed as a means to encourage this pathway for H2 generation. Furthermore, light is shed on techno-economics as an approach to improve the viability and sustainability of the proposed technology. This paper analyzes different dimensions of the CO2-sorption enhanced process to promote it as a potentially carbon-neutral and eco-friendly pathway for hydrogen production.
... These are comparable and 2.1-fold lower, respectively, than the natural gas-fired power plant with the carbon capture. The economic analyses further suggest the possibility of attaining higher revenue and the feasibility of implementing the sorption enhanced steam methane reforming, with the network of fixed beds integrated to the SOFC, for hydrogen production and CO 2 capture, as an alternative to the natural gas-fired power plant (Diglio et al. 2017). The catalysts used in the steam reforming of methane for H 2 production are mostly Ni-based, attributable to its high reactivity as compared to the natural catalyst. ...
Background
There has been a greater call for greener and eco-friendly processes and bioproducts to meet the 2030’s core agenda on 17 global sustainable development goals. The challenge lies in incorporating systems thinking with a comprehensive worldview as a guiding principle to develop the economy, whilst taking cognisance of the need to safeguard the environment, and to embrace the socio-cultural diversity dimension as an equal component. Any discussion on climate change, destruction of eco-system and habitat for wildlife, poverty and starvation, and the spread of infectious diseases, must be addressed together with the emphasis on the development of cleaner energy, air and water, better management of resources and biodiversity, improved agro-practices for food production and distribution, and affordable health care, as the outcomes and key performance indicators to be evaluated. Strict regulation, monitoring and enforcement to minimize emission, pollution and wastage must also be put in place.
Conclusion
This review article focuses on the research and development efforts to achieve sustainable bioenergy production, environmental remediation, and transformation of agro-materials into value-added bioproducts through the integrated algal and oil palm biorefinery. Recent development in microalgal research with nanotechnology as anti-cancer and antimicrobial agents and for biopharmaceutical applications are discussed. The life-cycle analysis in the context of palm oil mill processes is evaluated. The way forward from this integrated biorefinery concept is to strive for inclusive development strategies, and to address the immediate and pressing problems facing the Planet and the People, whilst still reaping the Profit.
... Other challenges rely on a deeper study of the arrangement and operation of the reactors in various configurations. Recent techno-economic studies of SE-SMR [153,154] showed promise for the intensified process. Diglio et al. [153] assessed the techno-economic feasibility of SE-SMR in a network of 8 packed bed reactors, with the capital costs of the process strongly affected by the reactor network, which accounted for 70% of the total CAPEX. ...
... Recent techno-economic studies of SE-SMR [153,154] showed promise for the intensified process. Diglio et al. [153] assessed the techno-economic feasibility of SE-SMR in a network of 8 packed bed reactors, with the capital costs of the process strongly affected by the reactor network, which accounted for 70% of the total CAPEX. Still the sorption enhanced system demonstrated better economic performance than conventional SMR with CO 2 capture, with cost of produced H 2 and CO 2 avoided being about 33% and 40% lower than the reference case. ...
Steam reforming of natural gas is the dominant process for large–scale hydrogen production. The process is characterized by high energy requirements and high carbon footprint due to the high endothermicity of the reforming reaction and the harsh operating conditions applied (high temperature, in the range of 800–900 °C and pressure of 20–30 atm). The necessity for a cost–effective and competitive hydrogen production process has spurred the interest towards the development of alternative reforming routes. In view of the above, considerable research efforts have been directed in the past years to the development of novel reforming concepts such as Chemical Looping Reforming (CLR) and Sorption Enhanced Reforming (SER). These alternatives target towards reduction of energy requirements of the steam reforming and/or in–situ separation of one of the products (CO2), leading to significant process intensification. The work performed on the development of the aforementioned concepts for intensified blue hydrogen production, the required materials and the strategies followed to improve their performance are critically reviewed in this paper. Moreover, research efforts targeting the development of hybrid processes that combine the advantages of the standalone, intensified concepts are also discussed.
... The solid CO 2 sorbent eventually gets saturated, and then, continuous H 2 production requires a cyclical alternation between suitable process conditions for SESMR and those for sorbent regeneration, the latter depending on the CBN equilibrium [31]. With regard to this alternation of conditions from the solids' point of view, the scientific literature mainly proposes two reactor configurations: (i) packed bed reactor couples [32,33], or (ii) dual fluidized bed reactor systems with internal recirculation of bed particles [34]. With both, one reactor works as a reformer and the other as a calciner for sorbent regeneration. ...
... In [32], the feasibility of the SESMR process through a network of packed bed reactors was assessed, and the design and operating parameters under energy self-sufficiency conditions were defined. In [33], a thermo-economic analysis of the proposed solution was performed, and it was found that both SESMR and SESMR integrated with a solid oxid fuel cell achieve higher efficiency than that from the reference SMR case. ...
The production of blue hydrogen through sorption-enhanced processes has emerged as a suitable option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sorption-enhanced steam–methane reforming (SESMR) is a process intensification of highly endothermic steam–methane reforming (SMR), ensured by in situ carbon capture through a solid sorbent, making hydrogen production efficient and more environmentally sustainable. In this study, a comprehensive energy model of SESMR was developed to carry out a detailed energy characterization of the process, with the aim of filling a current knowledge gap in the literature. The model was applied to a bench-scale multicycle SESMR/sorbent regeneration test to provide an energy insight into the process. Besides the experimental advantages of higher hydrogen concentration (90 mol% dry basis, 70 mol% wet basis) and performance of CO2 capture, the developed energy model demonstrated that SESMR allows for substantially complete energy self-sufficiency through the process. In comparison to SMR with the same process conditions (650 °C, 1 atm) performed in the same experimental rig, SESMR improved the energy efficiency by about 10%, further reducing energy needs.
