Hydrogen Separation from a Logistic-Fuel Reformate Stream

Proposed is a reactor capable of generating a pure hydrogen stream from a gasified stream of military logistic fuels such as JP-5 and JP-8. The objective is to build a reactor that generates a hydrogen stream with a heating value of 5-10 kW. The process is based on a novel type of ceramic membrane that allows only the passage of oxygen ions and electrons. Steam is passed on one side of the membrane and a gasified fuel on the other. On the membrane surface steam is reduced to hydrogen while the oxygen passes as an ion through the membrane. The ion oxidizes the fuel on the other side of the membrane, while the electron associated with the ion flows back to the steam side of the membrane. The process is driven by the difference in chemical potential between fuel and steam. Effectively an energy transfer is established which oxidizes the fuel as the steam is reduced to produce hydrogen. Since the membrane is impermeable for gases (the oxygen ion is a solid) very high purity hydrogen is generated. It is intended to demonstrate a system containing a liquid fuel gasifier coupled to a hydrogen reactor, while addressing the most crucial heat integration aspects.