Overview of hydrogen production by methane pyrolysis process and possible applications of the solid carbon products

master's thesis

• Title: Overview of hydrogen production by methane pyrolysis process and possible applications of the solid carbon products : master's thesis
• Title (croatian): Pregled proizvodnje vodika postupkom pirolize metana i moguće primjene čvrstog ugljika : diplomski rad
• Author: Sara Kesić
• Mentor: Karolina Novak Mavar (mentor)
• Mentor: Ankica Kovač (komentor)
• Committee member: Karolina Novak Mavar (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Katarina Simon (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Vladislav Brkić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Sonja Koščak Kolin (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering; (Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering and energy); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-12-16, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Mining, Petroleum and Geology Engineering; Petroleum Mining

Abstract

The European Union aims to be climate-neutral by 2050, i.e., an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This goal is compliant with European Green Deal and the European Union’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. Hydrogen is seen as an important part of the solution to achieve this goal, but the positive impact of hydrogen on the mitigation of greenhouse gas emission relies heavily on the type of technology used to produce it. Methane pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon. It produces CO2-free hydrogen, also known as turquoise hydrogen. Methane pyrolysis technologies fall into three categories: thermal, catalytic, and plasma decomposition. The technical challenges in the development of methane pyrolysis technology include the high energetic requirements and the separation of solid carbon in the reactor. This thesis provides a comprehensive overview of methane pyrolysis technologies currently under development. At the moment, plasma methane pyrolysis is the most advanced technology. Monolith Materials has been operating an industrial scale thermal plasma plant since 2020. The other technologies mentioned are still under development and are intended for pilot projects. For every tonne of hydrogen produced, three tonnes of solid carbon are also produced as a byproduct. Depending on the technology, methane pyrolysis can produce different types of solid carbon products, such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, graphite, graphene, etc. In this thesis, different types of carbon products that could be produced by methane pyrolysis are described in detail, especially their properties, most common present uses and possible future uses. The focus is on carbon black, as this is the largest and oldest market. However, if methane pyrolysis is carried out on an industrial scale, large amounts of solid carbon will be produced, and new markets for carbon products have to be found.

Abstract (croatian)

Europska unija namjerava postići klimatsku neutralnost do 2050. godine, odnosno postati gospodarstvo s nultim neto emisijama stakleničkih plinova. Ovaj cilj je u skladu s Europskim zelenim planom i predanošću Europske Unije globalnoj klimatskoj akciji prema Pariškom sporazumu. Vodik se smatra značajnim dijelom rješenja za postizanje ovoga cilja, ali pozitivan učinak vodika na smanjenje stakleničkih plinova uvelike ovisi o vrsti tehnologije koja se koristi za njegovu proizvodnju. Piroliza metana je toplinsko cijepanje prirodnoga plina na vodik i čvrsti ugljik. Navedeni proces proizvodi vodik bez emisija ugljikovog dioksida koji je poznat i kao tirkizni vodik. Tehnologije pirolize metana se mogu podijeliti u tri kategorije: toplinska, katalitička i plazma piroliza. Izazovi za razvoj tehnologije pirolize metana uključuju visoke energetske zahtjeve i odvajanje čvrstog ugljika u reaktoru. Ovaj rad daje sveobuhvatan pregled tehnologija pirolize metana danas. Trenutno je plazma piroliza metana najnaprednija tehnologija (do danas je jedino kompanija Monolith Materials 2020. stavila u pogon termalno plazma postrojenje industrijskog razmjera). Ostale tehnologije su u razvoju s planovima za pilot projekte. Tijekom plazma pirolize na svaku proizvedenu tonu vodika, kao nusproizvod, proizvedu se i tri tone čvrstog ugljika. Ovisno o vrsti tehnologiji koja se koristi, pirolizom metana moguće je dobiti različite vrste čvrstog ugljika kao što su industrijska čađa, ugljikove nano-cijevi, ugljikova nano-vlakna, grafit, grafen, itd. Ovaj diplomski rad također detaljno opisuje različite vrste čvrstog ugljika koji bi se potencijalno mogli proizvesti pirolizom metana, točnije njihove značajke, najčešće uporabe danas i potencijalne buduće uporabe. Naglasak je stavljen na industrijsku čađu jer je to najveće i najstarije tržište. S obzirom da implementacija pirolize metana na industrijskoj razini ima za posljedicu proizvodnju velikih količina čvrstog ugljika, potrebno je pronaći nova tržišta za te proizvode.

• Keywords: methane pyrolysis; hydrogen; thermal decomposition; catalytic decomposition; plasma decomposition; solid carbon products; carbon black
• Keywords (croatian): piroliza metana; vodik; toplinska piroliza; katalitička piroliza; plazma piroliza; čvrsti ugljik; industrijska čađa
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:169:023370
• Study programme: Title: Petroleum engineering; specializations in: Petroleum engineering, Energy production and supply, Environmental protection in petroleum engineering; Course: Energy production and supply; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra inženjer/inženjerka naftnog rudarstva (magistar/magistra inženjer/inženjerka naftnog rudarstva)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access; Embargo expiration date: 2023-12-16
• Created on: 2023-01-27 12:36:59