SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost Hydrogen for Next Generation Vehicles

This Phase I project will provide a low-cost process for producing high-pressure hydrogen (e.g., 7.500 psia, 510 atm) for use in vehicles. This process uses a proven, regenerable, low cost CO2 sorbent and a small-scale process that reforms natural gas, diesel, gasoline, or oil derived from biomass to hydrogen and compresses that H2 to high pressure for use in vehicles. Although the regeneration of the CO2 sorbent requires energy, the new sorbent/process effectively minimizes the efficiency impact. All of the necessary reforming reactions, water gas shift and carbon dioxide removal are performed in one reactor. This results in higher hydrogen purity, better energy integration (i.e., higher efficiency), reactions eliminate high temperature heat exchanges or valves, and greatly reduces steam requirements and minimizes the use of downstream process. The result is a lower cost, smaller system with improved efficiency. The key aspect of the system is the low cost reforming of the fuel. In the near term, the production of H2 would benefit merchant applications. The proposed system can generate on-site hydrogen at scales that are similar to the current on-site hydrogen generation plants at very high purity and low cost. In the long term the new system can provide hydrogen at low cost to distribution centers for use in vehicles and other fuel cell applications.