Hydrogen Conditioning Using Nanoporous Inorganic Membranes

• Published in: Chemie ingenieur technik Vol. 94; no. 1-2; pp. 49 - 55
• Main Authors: Kämnitz, Susanne, Simon, Adrian, Richter, Hannes, Weyd, Marcus, Lubenau, Udo, Geisler, Tom, Voigt, Ingolf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Carbon membranes; Hydrogen separation; Hydrogen/methane separation; Molecular sieve membranes; Natural gas processing; Polyester precursor
• ISSN: 0009-286X; 1522-2640
• DOI: 10.1002/cite.202100166

Carbon‐based membranes were manufactured by deposition of a polymeric precursor on asymmetric porous, ceramic substrates with tube channel geometry followed by pyrolysis. As a precursor, an unsaturated polyester resin prepared was used. The deposition of the carbon membranes results first on short substrate geometries (105 mm long single‐channel tube), further a first scaling‐up on 19‐channel geometry (250 mm and 600 mm length) was successfully performed. The synthesized carbon membranes show excellent separation properties regarding hydrogen/natural gas separation. The molecular sieving effect of the carbon membranes was detected via the pressure rising method with molecules of different kinetic molecule diameters. The molecular sieve membranes can be used at high temperatures and high pressures. The carbon membranes were successfully tested in real natural gas environment. Carbon membranes can be used for the separation of hydrogen from natural gas. With high hydrogen purities, it is possible to transport hydrogen obtained from volatile energy converters via the natural gas grid, to extract it at defined points in the gas grid and to convert it into electricity. The concept of power‐to‐gas with hydrogen as an energy carrier can thus be advanced economically in the transportation sector.