Di Nardo, Alessandra (2024) Cyan Hydrogen: a new route for hydrogen production and carbon valorisation. [Tesi di dottorato]

Documento PDF DiNardo_Alessandra_37.pdf Visibile a [TBR] Amministratori dell'archivio Download (7MB) | Richiedi una copia

Abstract

This thesis presents the development and optimisation of the Cyan Hydrogen process, an innovative method for simultaneous hydrogen production through carbon valorisation. Addressing the environmental and economic challenges associated with conventional hydrogen production, the Cyan Hydrogen process utilises bio-alcohols and sodium metaborate, a by-product from hydrogen storage technology, to produce high-purity hydrogen under milder conditions (300 °C) compared to standard methods. The process leverages sodium metaborate (NaBO2∙4H2O) to enhance alcohol conversion, enabling the transformation of carbon from bio-derived feedstocks into hydrogen and valuable co-products across gas, liquid, and solid phases, thereby promoting a circular approach through material reuse. The research focuses on understanding the reactive dynamics within a series of batch reactors, where ethanol serves as the base case feedstock for system behaviour analysis. Glycerol, an abundant by-product of biodiesel production, is also explored to assess its potential in producing a carbon-neutral hydrogen source while valorising surplus feedstocks. Various bio-alcohols are tested to evaluate the influence of different molecular structures on the distribution of hydrogen, polymeric compounds, and organic liquids across the tri-phasic outputs. An extensive experimental campaign was conducted to optimise process parameters, with particular attention to feedstock ratios and their impact on product composition. Key aspects of the research include product identification, the role of sodium metaborate in boosting alcohol conversion, and the flexibility of feedstock selection to yield desired product profiles. Additionally, an economic feasibility and sustainability analysis – carried out in collaboration with Saipem S.p.a. – benchmarks the Cyan Hydrogen process against medium-maturity hydrogen technologies, placing it within a competitive framework for emerging biohydrogen and green hydrogen solutions. This thesis thus contributes to the advancement of hydrogen production through a process that combines low-temperature hydrogen generation with efficient carbon valorisation, presenting a alternative to fossil-fuel-based methods.

Downloads

Actions (login required)

Modifica documento