Efficient hydrogen separation using proton-conducting ceramic membranes and electrochemical cells

利用质子导电陶瓷膜对天然气重整产生的富氢流进行节能、低成本的氢气分离，并利用陶瓷质子电化学电池（氢泵）对天然气管道中分布的稀氢流进行靠近最终使用点的氢气现场净化。氢在帮助英国实现2050年净零温室气体排放的目标方面发挥着至关重要的作用，通过其能源系统（包括电力、运输和供暖部门）的脱碳。今天使用的大多数氢是由化石燃料产生的（例如，通过天然气的蒸汽重整，煤炭气化）。产物气体主要由H2和CO2组成，同时还含有CH4、CO等杂质气体。因此，高效、低成本的氢分离是进一步走向氢经济的关键过程。由混合质子-电子导体（mpec）制成的致密陶瓷膜能够以100%的选择性从气体混合物中分离氢，与诸如变压吸附技术等成熟技术相比，降低了能量损失和成本。当现有的氢分离技术效率低下且成本高昂时，陶瓷质子导体也可用于制造电化学电池（氢泵），以从稀氢流中获得高纯度的氢。这对于利用现有的天然气管道促进氢气的分配尤其重要。陶瓷质子电化学电池可以从接近最终使用点的含氢量为10-20 vol%的天然气混合物中提取高纯氢。

To achieve energy-efficient and low-cost hydrogen separation using proton conducting ceramic membranes for hydrogen rich streams generated through reforming of natural gas as well as onsite purification of hydrogen close to the point of end use for dilute hydrogen streams distributed through natural gas pipelines using ceramic proton electrochemical cells (hydrogen pumps). Hydrogen plays a vital role in helping the UK meet its 2050 target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through decarbonisation of its energy system including electricity, transport and heating sectors. Most hydrogen used today is produced from fossil fuels (e.g., through steam reforming of natural gas, coal gasification). The product gases consist mainly of H2 and CO2, as well as other impurity gases such as CH4, and CO. Therefore energy-efficient and low-cost hydrogen separation constitutes a crucial process to more toward to hydrogen economy. Dense ceramic membranes made of mixed protonic-electronic conductors (MPECs) are capable of separating hydrogen from the gas mixtures with 100% selectivity, reduced energy penalty and cost compared to the well-established techniques such as the pressure swing adsorption technique. Ceramic proton conductors can also be used to fabricate electrochemical cells (hydrogen pumps) to obtain high purity hydrogen from dilute hydrogen streams when the existing hydrogen separation techniques become highly inefficient and costly. This is particularly important to facilitate distribution of hydrogen using existing natural gas pipelines. The ceramic proton electrochemical cells could enable extraction of high purity hydrogen from the natural gas blend with 10-20 vol% hydrogen close to the point of end use.