IPN2022_RotoReformer. Compact, rotating reformer converting natural gas and water to hydrogen and liquid CO2

Fossil energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal have played a significant role in humanity's energy supply over the past century. Access to energy is perhaps the most crucial factor for the development of modern society, having lifted billions of people out of poverty and food insecurity. The use of fossil energy releases carbon that has been stored underground for millions of years, and this "fossil" carbon alters the composition of the atmosphere to such an extent that there is international agreement that it will contribute to an enhanced greenhouse effect on a scale that will significantly negatively impact life on Earth. As a result, enormous resources are being invested in developing renewable "energy harvesters" like solar cells and wind turbines. This development is progressing quickly, but the cost is much higher than continued exploitation of fossil energy sources, and there is international consensus that the world will continue to rely too much on fossil energy for a long time to come. By capturing and storing carbon in a resource-efficient and energy-effective manner, fossil energy can become an environmentally favorable energy form, both quickly and over the long term. Various forms of carbon capture and utilization (CCS, CCUS) are being explored, but in most cases, this requires very costly additional installations, both in terms of energy and money. The RotoReformer, which we have developed to prototype level in this project, is a rotating reactor that converts water and natural gas (methane) into pure, compressed hydrogen gas and liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). Hydrogen gas is an energy carrier that can be utilized in countless ways, with only pure water as the byproduct. The CO2 is separated from the hydrogen by condensing at low temperature and high pressure, and the thermal energy released in this process is transferred to the chemical reaction that releases hydrogen with a higher energy content than the gas we started with. As a result, the RotoReformer has the potential for very high efficiency, and carbon capture is an energy-positive integrated process. The RotoReformer has a built-in heat pump, where a heavy gas is heated to a high temperature through semi-hydrostatic rotational compression. This heat is transferred to the reactor at the periphery, where methane and water are converted into carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The carbon monoxide then reacts with water to form CO2 and hydrogen. As the gas decompresses on its way inward toward the rotational axis, it becomes extremely cold, cooling down the products (hydrogen and carbon dioxide) which are then separated before exiting the rotor. The RotoReformer is designed as relatively small, independent rotors, making them suitable for mass production. They can be installed in any desired number for variable and flexible gas production. RotoReformers can be installed at any location along a gas infrastructure, thereby preventing the release of fossil carbon. A natural case for Norway would be to install RotoReformers on gas platforms and store the captured CO2 in suitable formations nearby. CO2 is very advantageous for maintaining pressure in gas wells (EOR/EGR), and it is better suited than water, which is often used now. In this way, the platforms could use hydrogen for onboard power generation, eliminating the need for onshore power or offshore wind to limit CO2 emissions from the platform. They could also export hydrogen or electricity instead of natural gas, if the infrastructure allows it. By using "non-fossil" gas, such as biogas, RotoReformers could contribute to a CO2-negative process, potentially reversing emissions that have already been made. In this project, we have developed and tested several elements of the RotoReformer, and we plan to test this at a pilot level in the near future. We have encountered significant interest from various industries, especially in the oil and gas sector, and several players are ready to join us when we have the final prototype results. We already have an established collaboration with the University of Sydney for a PhD project, and we are working with a gas distribution company in England for a pilot installation at their facility. The Research Council's funding of the project has been essential for Hyper Energy to continue developing the technology from the idea stage and has now paved the way for the technology's future development.

Prosjektet har hjulpet oss i å komme et langt stykke videre i utviklingen av RotoReformeren, og derfor også økt vår kompetanse på våre andre roterende apparater. Rotoreformeren har potensialet til å revolusjonere karbonfangst fra karbonholdige energikilder, og derfor bli et viktig bidrag til å redusere klimagassutslipp. På lang sikt kan RotoReformeren bidra til «net-negativ» karbonutslipp, ved å fange CO2 fra biogass eller andre biologiske (ikke-fossile) kilder. Hyper Energy har også skrevet flere nye patenter i prosjektperioden for andre roterende apparater, og bygger på den måten opp en portefølje av relaterte, roterende apparater, der RotoReformer-teknologien kan overføres til andre løsninger. Mange av utfordringene med rotasjon er de samme uavhengig av anvendelse, så dette kan få vidtrekkende følger, både for Hyper Energy og for samfunnet forøvrig.

This project is a continuation of projects 217723, 226001, 235809 and 285544 financed by Oslofjordfondet. The patented technology behind the RotoReformer is a new method of Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and Water Gas Shift (WGS) which includes a heat pump/heat recovery system that extracts heat from the produced gasses (H2 and CO2) and feeds the heat energy into the endothermic SMR process. The complete process (CH4+H2O -> CO2+H2), including capture of liquid CO2, occurs inside a single rotating device. Methane (liquid (LNG) or gaseous) and water is led into the rotor. These streams are led out ("down") towards the periphery while they are heated, evaporated and compressed (by their own masses in the High-G-environment). There will be excess water as an heat/energy carrier to reduce the temperature spans in the processes. The gasses are mixed and enters the catalytic SMR reactor at the periphery splitting the methane and part of the water to CO and Hydrogen. This gas mixture flows further "up" towards the center of the rotor and enters the WGS reactor where the CO and water combines to CO2 and more Hydrogen. This mix of Hydrogen, CO2 and water is then further led towards the rotational axis and cooled against the cold section of the heat pump, where first water then CO2 is condensed out to liquid state and separated from the flow. The water is returned and mixed with the feed water flow and the liquid CO2 and the hydrogen gas exits the rotor in two separate channels.