Distributed hydrogen production has been sought to address a range of applications where pipeline hydrogen is not available. Hydrogen production typically involves steam-reforming, water-gas-shift reactions, and gas purification steps.

Renewable hydrocarbon resources, such as alcohols and bio-oil, are attractive fuels for hydrogen production.  But, available catalysts for hydrogen production often deactivate rapidly when used with biomass-derived fuel sources. 

Scientists at PNNL have now developed a reactor and process for production of hydrogen gas from a biomass derived fuel, including alcohols, oxygenates bio-oil, oil and hydrocarbons.  The reactor includes a monolithic structure form with an array of parallel flow channels. The catalytic reaction for hydrogen formation is conducted in conjunction with a carbonation reaction that removes carbon dioxide. The carbonation reaction involves reaction of the carbon dioxide produced from the hydrogen formation reaction with metal oxide-based sorbents. The sorbent can be readily regenerated.

One of the advantages of this invention is that it can reduce the size and complexity of hydrogen production processes and devices. Compared to the conventional hydrogen production processes, this inventive process produces a hydrogen-rich stream from one reactor vessel without using a large external furnace to heat the reactor, without requiring any oxygen, and without requiring a separate water-gas-shift reactor.