Hydrogen Generation Process Presented at NHA Conference

ChevronTexaco is working to develop and commercialize fuel-processing technologies that leverage existing energy infrastructures and convert a variety of feedstocks such as natural gas, into hydrogen. This is a critical step to enable the practical application of hydrogen to both transportation and distributed power generation.



In producing hydrogen from natural gas for hydrogen energy stations, ChevronTexaco and Modine are applying innovative engineering to traditional SMR technology. The Advanced SMR reactor integrates multiple reactions and heat transfer functions to increase efficiency while minimizing controls and balance of plant components. This results in a technology that produces hydrogen at a lower cost.



ChevronTexaco and Modine have jointly developed the Advanced SMR to produce hydrogen from natural gas for fuel cell vehicle applications. ChevronTexaco has led the collaboration to integrate several technology and engineering innovations. Leveraging fuel processing knowledge, ChevronTexaco designed the system with safety and efficiency in mind. The Advanced SMR system is expected to produce hydrogen at a low cost and of quality suitable for fuel cell applications.



Modine's knowledge of heat exchange technology and manufacturing was employed to design and develop the thermal and mechanical design and to fabricate the fuel processor resulting in an efficient and manufacturable hydrogen generator. The integrating of multiple heat exchangers and multiple reactors reduces both the number of components and the processor's cost.



To address the challenges associated with the application of catalyst to complex heat exchanger geometry, Engelhard Corporation, a surface and materials science provider, was selected to supply the projects catalyst technology expertise.



The recently opened Chevron Hydrogen energy station in Chino, Calif., is the first of up to six demonstration stations to be built under a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cost-sharing program. These stations will demonstrate and validate hydrogen technologies. The station reforms natural gas into hydrogen using the ATR process. Future hydrogen energy stations, including the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District station in Oakland, Calif. and the recently announced station with the State of Florida may incorporate different reforming technologies, including Advanced SMR and SSR.

Source: on pressbot.org | Date: 20.08.2005 - 1:48 | 441 times read