Techno‐Economic Analysis of Methane Pyrolysis in Molten Metals: Decarbonizing Natural Gas

Methane pyrolysis using a molten metal process to produce hydrogen is compared to steam methane reforming (SMR) for the industrial production of hydrogen. Capital and operating cost models for pyrolysis and SMR were used to generate cash‐flow and production costs for several different molten pyrolys...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemical engineering & technology Vol. 40; no. 6; pp. 1022 - 1030
Main Authors: Parkinson, Brett, Matthews, Joshua W., McConnaughy, Thomas B., Upham, D. Chester, McFarland, Eric W.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Frankfurt Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2017
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Subjects:
Carbon
Carbon dioxide
Carbon tax
Catalysis
Cost engineering
Economic analysis
Hydrogen production
Industrial engineering
Liquid metals
Manufacturing engineering
Methane
Methane pyrolysis
Natural gas
Natural gas conversion
Production costs
Pyrolysis
Reforming
Steam methane reforming
Taxes
ISSN:0930-7516, 1521-4125
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Methane pyrolysis using a molten metal process to produce hydrogen is compared to steam methane reforming (SMR) for the industrial production of hydrogen. Capital and operating cost models for pyrolysis and SMR were used to generate cash‐flow and production costs for several different molten pyrolysis systems. The economics were most sensitive to the methane conversion and the value obtained for the solid carbon by‐product. The pyrolysis system at 1500 °C is competitive with a carbon tax of $78 t−1; however, if a catalytic process at 1000 °C were developed using a conventional fired heater, it would be competitive with SMR without a carbon dioxide cost penalty. Several pyrolysis alternatives become competitive with increasing carbon dioxide taxes. Methane pyrolysis using a molten metal‐based process to produce carbon and hydrogen is compared to steam methane reforming for the industrial production of hydrogen. Capital and operating cost models for pyrolysis and steam methane reforming were applied to generate cash‐flow and production costs for several different pyrolysis systems making use of molten metals.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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content type line 14
DEFG02-89ER14048
USDOE
ISSN:0930-7516
1521-4125
DOI:10.1002/ceat.201600414