Coal represents the largest strategic energy reserve in the U.S. At current consumption rates, the U.S. has at least 250 years’ worth of economically recoverable reserves. Although coal itself is a low-hydrogen fuel, gasification of coal, followed by chemical conversion of the resulting fuel gas, can yield large quantities of hydrogen at relatively low cost. Furthermore, while coal is a fossil fuel, hydrogen production from coal can be achieved in a carbon-neutral production system by coupling the coal gasification system to carbon dioxide sequestration. Alternatively, using a renewable biomass source as the feedstock, hydrogen can be produced without CO₂ sequestration in a nearly carbon-neutral system or, with CO₂ sequestration, in a carbon-consuming system. An example of such a biomass- or coal-based production system for H₂ and electricity is shown below.



The Department of Energy (DOE), through its National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), is actively working to develop and commercialize hydrogen production from coal. In 2003, the President announced FutureGen, a $1 billion, 10-year government/ industry partnership to build the first coal-based, zero emissions electricity and hydrogen production facility. This facility is envisioned as functioning as a test bed for prototype technologies that would improve the thermal efficiency and cost-effectiveness of individual process steps in the overall production system. In conjunction with the FutureGen program, NETL, through in-house research and research at the national labs, universities, and private companies, is working on improvements in air separation, gasification, gas clean-up, gas shift, membrane separation, and gas turbine technologies.

Sandia is supporting the DOE effort to commercialize hydrogen production from coal by utilizing its expertise in coal conversion technology, gas turbine combustion, and systems analysis. We are using a new pressurized, entrained-flow reactor (see below) to perform the first accurate measurements of coal gasification rates under the harsh pressures and temperatures that are applicable to practical gasifiers. This information will allow future gasifiers to be optimized for fuel conversion, availability, and hydrogen production. We are also investigating the operation of gas-turbine combustors in synthetic air mixtures composed of oxygen and recycled CO₂, to aid in identifying practical limits to system designs such as that shown above. Finally, Sandia is collaborating with researchers at NETL to model the expected performance of integrated hydrogen production systems, using detailed knowledge of component chemical and physical characteristics and advanced simulation software.

Contact:

Chris Shaddix
crshadd@sandia.gov
925-294-3840