光触媒活用の米水素技術ベンチャーに出資 Ⅰ

　　
彦根藩二代当主である井伊直孝公をお寺の門前で手招き雷雨から救ったと
伝えられる"招き猫"と、井伊軍団のシンボルとも言える赤備え。（戦国時
代の軍団編成の一種で、あらゆる武具を朱塗りにした部隊編のこと）の兜
（かぶと）を合体させて生まれたキャラクタ。

 

 

  　

【再エネ革命渦論 177: アフターコロナ時代 178】
● 技術的特異点でエンドレス・サーフィング－
　　 特異点真っ直中 ㊿＋⑧

三菱重工，光触媒活用の米水素技術ベンチャーに出資 Ⅱ

10月10日、三菱重工業は，米国統括拠点である米国三菱重工業（MHIA）を
通じ，光触媒技術を活用した水素製造・CO₂利用技術を開発する米国のスタ
ートアップ企業である米シジジー・プラズモニクスに出資したと発表。シ
ジジー・プラズモニクスは，米ライス大学で開発された，光触媒を利用し
て水素製造などのさまざまな化学反応を電化する世界最先端の革新的技術
を商用化するべく，2018年に設立された。化学工業プロセスを電化し，よ
りクリーンで安全な世界を実現するため，従来の燃焼熱に代わり光を利用
した反応器を開発している。この反応器を再生可能エネルギーによって運
転することで，アンモニアからのCO2フリー水素の製造や，CO2排出量の少
ない水素をメタンから製造することなどを可能とし，化学工業プロセスの
コストとCO2排出量の両方を削減できる可能性を有している。また，回収し
たCO2とメタンから合成ガスを製造し，持続可能燃料やメタノールに変換す
ることもできる。同社グループは，今回の出資を通じ，それら各エコシス
テムの多様化につながる将来の革新的代替技術の1つとしてシジジー・プラ
ズモニクスの取り組みを支援し，同社グループが戦略的に取り組むエナジ
ートランジション事業の強化につなげていくとしている。

 

Methane Reformer for the Production of Hydrogen and a Hydrocarbon Fuel
Jul 20, 2021 - Syzygy Plasmonics Inc.

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for reforming methane
into hydrogen and a hydrocarbon fuel. In example embodiments, the methane refo-
rmer integrates a photocatalytic steam methane reforming (P-SMR) system with a
subsequent photocatalytic dry methane reforming (P-DMR) system. Latest Syzygy
Plasmonics Inc. Patents:
•Photocatalytic Reactor System
•PHOTOCATALYTIC REACTOR CELL
•PHOTOCATALYTIC REACTOR HA VING MULTIPLE PHOTOCATALYTIC
 REACTOR CELLS
Skip to:
Description · Claims · Patent History · Patent History Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority to and hereby incorporates by reference the
entirety of U.S. Provisional Pat.
Application No. 63/054,163, filed Jul. 20, 2020.

BACKGROUND OF DISCLOSURE
Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for reforming methane
into hydrogen and a hydrocarbon fuel. In example embodiments,   the methane
reformer integrates a photocatalytic steam methane reforming (P-SMR)　system

Technical Background
Conventional Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) systems, such as the one
illustrated in FIG. 1, can be used to produce syngas (hydrogen and carbon
monoxide) from, for example, methane (natural gas), according to the
following equilibrium:
The conventional SMR has several disadvantages. For example, SMR is
sensitive to sulfur that may be present in the pipeline quality gas and requires
desulfurization (i.e., a combination of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalyst
and ZnO adsorbent bed). In addition, conventional SMR is a heat intensive
endothermic reactor, and hydrogen production is limited due to conversion
limitation associated with near cracking temperatures. This limitation is
overcome via a high and low temperature water gas shift reactor (WGS),
installed in series. Further, high temperature operation of SMR produces
significant quantities of green-house carbon monoxide (CO), which
necessitates the installation of WGS reactors.

In addition, the conventional SMR generally has two carbon dioxide (CO2)
exhaust streams, which require removal of CO2. The first CO2 exhaust
stream results from natural gas and air being used as fuel to provide energy
to the SMR reactor. This creates a “stack gas” stream that has dilute CO2
and other gases, such as nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulfur oxides (SOX).
The process to capture or utilize CO2 from the stack gas stream is complex
and expensive. The second CO2 exhaust stream is produced as a part of the
process gas, and contains concentrated CO2 that is easier to capture or
utilize. The amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere from both of these
streams makes conventional SMR a significant emitter of greenhouse gases.
In plants that contain equipment to capture CO2 from these streams, the
capital expenditure for such equipment becomes an appreciable portion of t
he overall plant cost.

One of the traditional methods employed for CO2 removal is a combination
absorber-regenerator setup that employs hot potash or amine based liquid
absorbents, such as monoethanolamine (MEA) or activated methyl diethanol
amine (aMDEA). Not only does this system require a high pressure (close
to 400 psi(g), for liquid entering the absorbers) and high temperature (close
to 200° C. at regenerator reboiler), but amine-based liquids used in the
system can be corrosive in nature. These limitations require high grade
costly materials; i.e., the whole tower has to be made from stainless steel
or require the injections of a passivation agent, such as vanadium
pentaoxide (V₂O₅), and continuous iron monitoring. Foaming is another
common issue. Excessive foaming can lead to carry over to the downstream
system and have a negative effect. Finally, solution chemistry needs to be a
nalyzed at regular frequency to maintain the necessary rate of absorption
and address any system losses.

The conventional SMR design also necessitates a fully functional burner
management system (BMS) to ensure the safe light-up and light-off of
gas/liquid fuel operated burners. A BMS system has significant steps after
which the permissive is issued to light up burners. This sequence convent-
ionally includes purging of the furnace to get rid of the flammables from
the firing (if any) by running blowers or ID fans near their top speeds.
Once the purge sequence is completed, a tightness test ensures leak proofing
of the fuel circuit, after which the pilot lights-up and then, based on the
predetermined or operationally required sequence, the main burners light
-up and the system is pressurized. As evident, it is a complicated system
with excessive boot strapping. Further, any leakage in the fuel system
renders the entire sequence useless. Additionally, the furnace ramp-up or
ramp-down requires a lot of time and labor. A commercial reformer with
close to hundred burners requires manual operation every time pressure is
stepped up or lowered. A combination of block and regulating valves (i.e.,
control valves) ensures precise control and, if needed, fail-safe shutdown,
but requires constant vigilance on the part of board and field operators.

Therefore, there remains a need for effective systems for methane reforming
that do not have the drawbacks of the currently used conventional SMR s
ystems.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

One aspect of the disclosure provides a system for recovering syngas
(i.e., hydrogen and carbon monoxide) from a methane feedstock. Such
                                                                                              system includes:

・a first stage comprising a photocatalytic steam methane reformer, the first
  stage configured to produce at least a carbon dioxide stream and a hydrogen
　stream from the methane feedstock; and

・a second stage, adjacent to and downstream from the first stage, and c
  omprising a photocatalytic dry methane reformer configured to produce
  the syngas from a second methane feedstock and the carbon dioxide stream
  produced in the first stage.

 

The system of the disclosure may be used in methods of preparing zero-
emission hydrogen in addition to another low- or zero-emission product,
such as methanol or dimethyl ether (DME). Thus, another aspect of the
disclosure provides methods for transforming a methane feedstock into
syngas. Such methods include:

・providing the methane feedstock to a first stage comprising a photocatalytic
  steam methane reformer as described herein to obtain at least a carbon
 dioxide stream and a hydrogen stream; and

・providing the carbon dioxide stream to a second stage comprising a photo
  catalytic dry methane reformer as described herein to produce the syngas.

Another aspect of the disclosure includes methods for preparing methanol
or dimethyl ether from a methane feedstock. In such methods, the syngas
obtained in the second stage is provided to a third stage comprising a
synthesis reactor to obtain methanol or dimethyl ether.

In certain embodiments, a hydrogen stream is provided to the synthesis
rector in the third stage so that the ratio of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in
the reactor is about 1:2.

Various example embodiments described herein can be used to provide one
or more benefits, such as benefits relating to reduced-emission chemical
production. In one example use case, methane from a dairy farm, landfill,
or well-site flare gas can be used to make low / zero emission hydrogen from
that methane, without significant carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
By processing the P-SMR’s CO₂ waste stream in the immediately adjacent
and downstream P-DMR reactor, the waste CO₂ and methane (both potent
greenhouse gases) can be processed into another “green” product, such as
methanol or DME, for example. In certain embodiments, the methods of the
disclosure are lower cost, less complex, and an environmentally friendly
replacement for traditional SMR plants in oil refineries, ammonia plants,
and methanol plants. The systems and methods of the disclosure may be
used, for example, as a source of hydrogen fuel for distributed and point-
of-use production of hydrogen for fuel cell vehicle applications.

The above detailed description describes various features and functions of
the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to the accomp－
anying figures. While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed
herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent. The various aspects
and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration only and
are not intended to be limiting.

Some embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best
mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Of course,
variations on these described embodiments will become apparent to those
of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description.
The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate,
and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than s
pecifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims
appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination
of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encomp-
assed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly
contradicted by context.

It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for
illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light
thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be incorpor-
ated within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appen-
ded claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are
hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

 

https://patents.justia.com/patent/20230294984

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

- -------------------------------------------------------------------

US Patent Application for Methane Reformer for the Production of Hydrogen and a H
ydrocarbon Fuel Patent Application (Application #20230294984 issued September
21, 2023) - Justia Patents Search
                                                                                                            この項つづく

 

風蕭々と碧い時

 

John Lennon　Imagine

  

アルバム『終わりなきこの愛』　2019年4月24日
ノスタルジー     NOSTALGY 

● 今夜の寸評：