Methane pyrolysis for mixed hydrogen power generation: Performance of two pilot-scale moving-beds
Journal
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Journal Volume
193
Start Page
152408
ISSN
03603199
Date Issued
2025-11-28
Author(s)
Lee, Yu-Ping
Chang, Che-Wei
Lin, Yu-Chu
Luo, Chen-Syun
Wu, Shan-Luo
Ou, Min-Nan
Lee, Chau-Hwang
Liao, James C.
Chen, Yue-Gau
Chen, Yang-Yuan
Abstract
Hydrogen is critical for reducing CO2 emissions from gas-fired power plants in the pursuit of net-zero by 2050. This study investigates the performance of two pilot-scale moving bed methane pyrolysis reactors (4-inch and 6-inch diameters) using carbon-based catalysts. The reactors operated for over 500 h, including several 24-h continuous runs, across a temperature range of 1000–1080 °C and varying methane feed rates. Methane conversion ranged from 20 % to 37 % under different operating conditions. The 4-inch reactor achieved optimal performance at 80 NLPM and furnace temperatures of 1080–1080-1060 °C, with an energy consumption of 11.0 kWh/kg_H2. The 6-inch reactor demonstrated improved efficiency, reaching 9.7 kWh/kg_H2 at 70 NLPM under the same temperature profile. Overall, the results confirm that methane pyrolysis is an energy-efficient hydrogen production method, offering a net energy gain approximately 4.1 times greater than the input. This makes it a promising option for low-carbon, hydrogen-natural gas co-firing in power generation.
Subjects
Energy consumption
Methane pyrolysis
Moving bed
Pilot-scale
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article