Liquid Hydrogen Plant

What is Liquid Hydrogen?

Liquid Hydrogen are the elements known to exist in the liquid state. The elements are cooled below its critical point to convert it into liquid hydrogen. Liquid hydrogen is used as a fuel in IC Engines and also in fuel cells.

Generation of Liquid Hydrogen ( Hydrogen Generation )

Hydrogen can be generated or produced from several methods like

• High pressure ( 300 bar g to 100 bar g ) fossil fuels
• Medium pressure ( 100 bar g to 50 bar g)
• Water electrolysis with electricity.

The environmental impact and energy efficiency of hydrogen depends on how it is produced. Worldwide research are in process to decrease production costs of hydrogen generation.

There are several ways of Hydrogen production:

Water Electrolysis with Electricity :

This is a process in which electrolysis of water is carried out using an electric current that breaks water ( H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen.

PV Hydrogen or Green Hydrogen :

Renewable energy sources like solar or wind are used to generate electricity and the same is then used in the above-mentioned electrolysis process to produce Hydrogen , the renewable hydrogen thus produced has numerous emissions benefits. Power-to-hydrogen projects are being launched worldwide, using excess renewable electricity, when available, to make hydrogen through electrolysis process.

Natural Gas Reforming/Gasification:

Natural gas reforming using steam accounts for most of the hydrogen produced. This method is the cheapest, most efficient, and most common. In this process Synthesis gas / Coal bedded Methane Gas (mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide) and a small amount of carbon dioxide is created by reacting natural gas with high-temperature steam. The carbon monoxide is reacted with water to produce additional hydrogen.

A synthesis gas can also be created by reacting coal or biomass with high-temperature steam and oxygen in a pressurized gasifier. This converts the coal or biomass into gaseous components—a process called gasification. The resulting synthesis gas contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is reacted with steam to separate the hydrogen.

Fermentation:

Biomass is converted into sugar-rich feedstocks that can be fermented to produce hydrogen.

Renewable Liquid Reforming:

Renewable liquid fuels, such as ethanol, are reacted with high-temperature steam to produce hydrogen near the point of end use.

Production Of Hydrogen

In this process hydrogen (H2) is produced from a range of feedstocks and natural resources. Using processes like steam reforming, H2 is produced from natural gas, LPG or naphtha (gray hydrogen).