NEMESIS New Method for Superior Integrated Hydrogen Generation System

1. NEMESISNew Method for Superior IntegratedHydrogen Generation System • Objective • Onsite, de-centralized hydrogen production at fueling stations from gasoline, diesel and natural gas is a first step towards a hydrogen and fuel cell based transportation. Within the European project NEMESIS a small-scale, fuel flexible hydrogen generator that is capable of working with gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon feedstock will be developed producing 10 kg H2 per day. • Three modules will be integrated into a proof-of-principle prototype: • Fuel Preparation Module (FPM): evaporation, pre-reforming and desulphurization of feedstock • Hydrogen Generation Module (HGM): generic integrated steam reformer, water gas shift stage and off-gas burner • Hydrogen Conditioning Module (HCM): H2 purification with three different principles (membrane separation, pressure swing adsorption - PSA, and temperature swing adsorption with metal hydrides) Results In the first six months of the project the targets and tasks of NEMESIS have been translated into functional requirements for the prototype unit. Various process concepts have been evaluated by system simulation and experimental investigation of subcomponents resulting in the definition of a lead concept comprising pre-reforming at moderate temperatures followed by gas phase desulphurization, which might be supplemented by liquid desulphurization. In the reformer and integrated burner section the pressure of the existing system can be upgraded to 13bars. A modular membrane system will be built which is backed-up by an improved single layer PSA unit. A schematic of the prototype unit is displayed on the left. Adsorbents for desulphurization have been synthesized and tested with promising results for liquid phase and gas phase desulphurization. Pd membranes have been prepared by electroless plating on single and multi channel supports. Transformation of these innovative functional materials into technical products to be integrated into the prototype unit is under way. Furthermore the detailed layout of the proof-of-principle prototype has been completed. Project Facts Total Cost: 3.9 M€ Time span: 12/2005 – 11/2008 EC funding: 2.2 M€ Instrument: STREP Co-ordinator: DLR e.V. Contact: Antje Wörner Institute of Technical Thermodynamics Pfaffenwaldring 38-40 70569 Stuttgart / Germany +49 (711) 6862 484 antje.woerner@dlr.de 8 Partners Project funded by the European Commission under contract no. 019827