Field-Scale Testing of a High-Efficiency Membrane Reactor (MR)-Adsorptive Reactor (AR) Process for H₂ Generation and Pre-Combustion CO₂ Capture

The study objective was to field-validate the technical feasibility of a membrane- and adsorption-enhanced water gas shift reaction process employing a carbon molecular sieve membrane (CMSM)-based membrane reactor (MR) followed by an adsorptive reactor (AR) for pre-combustion CO2 capture. The project was carried out in two different phases. In Phase I, the field-scale experimental MR-AR system was designed and constructed, the membranes, and adsorbents were prepared, and the unit was tested with simulated syngas to validate functionality. In Phase II, the unit was installed at the test site, field-tested using real syngas, and a technoeconomic analysis (TEA) of the technology was completed. All project milestones were met. Specifically, (i) high-performance CMSMs were prepared meeting the target H-2 permeance (>1 m(3)/(m(2).hbar) and H-2/CO selectivity of >80 at temperatures of up to 300 degrees C and pressures of up to 25 bar with a <10% performance decline over the testing period; (ii) pelletized adsorbents were prepared for use in relevant conditions (250 degrees C < T < 450 degrees C, pressures up to 25 bar) with a working capacity of >2.5 wt.% and an attrition rate of <0.2; (iii) TEA showed that the MR-AR technology met the CO2 capture goals of 95% CO2 purity at a cost of electricity (COE) 30% less than baseline approaches.