Clean Hydrogen from the Reforming of Natural Gas with Carbon Capture and Sequestration
LCM will utilize Topsoe’s modern, efficient technology that dramatically reduces carbon dioxide in the production of hydrogen from natural gas. Topsoe is a global leader in energy-efficient technologies to produce clean chemicals and transportation fuels, including hydrogen and methanol. The primary technology deployed will be Topsoe’s SynCOR™ technology, which is deploying auto-thermal reformers (ATR) to reform the natural gas and provide for the efficient capture of carbon. See a brochure on Topsoe’s Blue Hydrogen technology here.
Natural gas is converted in the SynCOR™ reactor to hydrogen (H2) as well as carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The hydrogen and carbon molecules are used in the production of methanol (CH3OH), a simple alcohol that serves as a hydrogen carrier for external use. Excess carbon dioxide created in the process is separated, compressed, and transported to a secure geologic storage site for permanent sequestration. This technology will enable the Project to achieve an industry-leading low carbon intensity in the production of hydrogen and methanol.
Auto-Thermal Reformer
Natural gas conversion to hydrogen with an auto-thermal reformer occurs in several steps. First, the natural gas is scrubbed to remove impurities that would harm downstream catalysts. Then the reforming of the natural gas takes place in two stages; first in an adiabatic pre-reformer, and then in the Topsoe SynCOR™ reactor, which is an autothermal catalytic reformer fired with oxygen (O2). In the adiabatic pre-reformer, all higher hydrocarbons are converted to methane and then the process gas is reacted with oxygen to facilitate chemical reactions in the reactor. In the reactor, a combination of sub-stoichiometric combustion and steam reforming takes place, where the combustion process provides the heat for an endothermic steam reforming reaction. The Topsoe SynCOR™ reformer has a compact design consisting of a refractory-lined pressure vessel with a burner, a combustion chamber, and a catalyst bed. The excess heat in the synthesis gas is recovered by producing steam which will be utilized in the plant, making it a very energy-efficient production facility.
“Clean hydrogen—which is produced with zero or near-zero emissions from renewables, nuclear energy, or natural gas with carbon sequestration—has tremendous potential in this energy future. It can function as an energy-storage medium and as fuel for many transportation applications that are difficult to decarbonize....Clean hydrogen can also help to decarbonize high-emissions industrial processes that currently use fossil fuels directly or hydrogen produced from natural gas without carbon sequestration.”