Hydrogen production from superheated steam by dielectric barrier discharge

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19044
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 31:Nuclear engineering, earth resources engineering, energy engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: Kambara Shinji 岐阜大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (80362177)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 水素製造 / プラズマ / 水素分離膜 / 過熱水蒸気

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to control global warming, it is desired to develop a CO2-free hydrogen production device with low hydrogen cost. The objective of this research is to develop an innovative low-cost hydrogen production device consisting of steam plasma and hydrogen separation membrane. A Pd-40%Cu hydrogen separation membrane was combined with the plasma reactor. When superheated steam was used as the raw material, the energy efficiency of hydrogen production was extremely low (0.0009 L/Wh). 4% ammonia was mixed with saturated steam to improve electrical conductivity and fed molecule number. As a result, the hydrogen production energy efficiency increased significantly (0.138 L/Wh). Although it did not reach 0.167 L/Wh of the alkaline water electrolysis method, it is a bright prospect for the development of a small hydrogen production device at a low equipment cost. The reaction mechanism of hydrogen generation from steam by plasma decomposition was investigated.

Free Research Field

化学工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

CO2フリー水素の製造法は，再生可能エネルギーによる水の電気分解（水電解法）が主流であり，すでに商品化がなされている。しかし，再生可能エネルギーのコストおよび水電解装置コストを要因として水素単価は非常に高く，自立的エネルギーシステムの構築は困難な状況にある。
Power to Hydrogenという学術分野で水電解法と異なる原理の方向性をもつ平板型プラズマメンブレンリアクターは，挑戦的研究として学術的・社会的に大いに意義がある。また，提案する過熱水蒸気プラズマは新規反応場であり，他に類がない先駆けとしての学術的特色がある。