Processing of natural gas and hydrogen mixtures

Project goals

Carbon membranes are developed as separation technology for hydrogen-natural gas mixtures and tested on the setup with real gases. The goal is to use the membranes to reduce the hydrogen content in gas mixtures to < 1% by volume or to enrich them to > 99% by volume. The membranes would therefore be suitable for use at critical natural gas networks and infrastructure points, such as CNG filling stations, which allow under current conditions only concentrations of <  2% by volume.

Application

In long term, the use of the existing natural gas infrastructure is an option to transport, store and use green hydrogen economically. However, natural gas cannot be dispensed with, especially for the transition phase. The carbon membranes to be developed are a cost-effective, procedurally simple and energetically sensible option to store both energy sources together, but to be able to use them separately. Depending on the requirement profile, the technology can deplete and enrich the hydrogen content of the gas quantities fed out.

• Depletion of hydrogen in gas mixtures in front of gas turbines or petrol stations to concentrations of < 1% by volume
• Enrichment of hydrogen in gas mixtures before hydrogen applications such as CHP or fuel cells to > 99% by volume
• Transferability of development to applications in the chemical industry: e.g. production of hydrogen from natural gas, synthesis gas production and biomass gasification
• Opening up the market for membrane processes, thus increasing profitability and improving the properties and forming a best practice

The final project report is available in the HYPOS member area.