Efficient biomass utilisation by polygeneration processes - Production of hydrogen, electricity and heat

Published 2010

Citation: Mayer T. Efficient biomass utilisation by polygeneration processes - Production of hydrogen, electricity and heat, ICPS 2010, 7th-9th of September 2010, Leipzig, Germany.

Abstract

A polygeneration process is about to be implemented at the biomass gasification plant in Oberwart, Austria. Apart from conventional heat and electricity production, product gas obtained from steam gasification of wood chips is used for production of hydrogen. A membrane separation process was chosen for this application. Meeting the requirements of robustness and simplicity are benefits of this technology, however, maximizing of purity and output of hydrogen is not given highest priority. Simulation results show the gas compositions of both permeate and retentate stream as a function of different membrane stage-cuts. Basically high hydrogen content in the permeate stream can be achieved, but only with the drawback of low stage-cuts. Moreover, the trade-off between hydrogen purity and hydrogen recovery as well as the influence of the operating pressure on the purity are illustrated.