Hydrogen carrier production via integration of methane pyrolysis and Chemical looping hydrogen generation

초록

To achieve net-zero CO2 emissions, demand for hydrogen is increasing worldwide. However, the high cost of hydrogen transportation remains a major challenge, highlighting the need to accelerate the development of economically viable hydrogen-carrier production routes. This study proposes three economically promising hydrogen carrier production pathways: (a) PY-CLHG-MeOH for methanol production, (b) PY-CLHG-DME for dimethyl ether production, and (c) PEMEC-PY-CLHG-NH3 for ammonia production. The first two pathways integrate methane pyrolysis with chemical looping hydrogen generation, whereas the ammonia pathway additionally incorporates proton exchange membrane electrolysis. The proposed processes demonstrate favorable techno-economic performance due to low hydrogen production costs and effective utilization of by-products achieved through methane pyrolysis and chemical looping hydrogen generation. The levelized costs of the products were estimated at $307.50/tforPY-CLHG-MeOH,$473.31/t for PY-CLHG-DME, and $430.54/t for PEMEC-PY-CLHG-NH3. The corresponding carbon footprints were estimated at 1.302 tCO2/tMeOH, 1.960 tCO2/ tDME, and 1.496 tCO2/tNH3, respectively. When hydropower-based electricity was used, the carbon footprint of the proposed processes decreased, with the PEMEC-PY-CLHG-NH3 process achieving the maximum reduction of 88.70%. This demonstrates the environmental advantages of the proposed processes under different electricity supply scenarios. Overall, the results indicate that hydrogen carrier production through the integration of methane pyrolysis and chemical looping hydrogen generation represents a promising approach for supporting the development of future global hydrogen trade networks.

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