H2Tech - Q2 2021 - 41

BLUE HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
units, and a 34% lower OPEX (excluding the natural gas feedstock price) from
reduced compression duties and more
steam generation for internal power. Gas
POX technology consumes 6% more natural gas, but this is offset by power generation from the excess steam.
The proprietary blue H2 processa is
an end-to-end lineup that maximizes the
integration of the gas POX and solvent
technologies. Compared with an ATR
unit, modeling shows (based on the parameters in TABLE 1) that a lineup producing 500 tpd of pure H2 would have:
* $30 MM/yr lower OPEX
* 35% less power import
* > 99% CO2 capture
* 10%-25% lower levelized cost of H2.
The gas POX-solvent process is the
best option for large-scale blue H2 projects. FIG. 6 shows the principle advantages
of integrating it with other proprietary
and open-source technologies.
The choice between a methanator or a
pressure-swing absorption (PSA) unit for
the H2 purification step depends on the
required H2 purity. For example, a PSA
unit is necessary to achieve the > 99.97%
purity required for the H2 used in fuel
cells. The offgas is predominantly H2, with
trace containments such as CO, CO2 and
nitrogen. In the ATR process, this offgas
is typically burned to preheat the natural
gas, which produces direct CO2 emissions.
In a methanator, the purity of the final
H2 is lower (> 98%, depending on the feed
gas properties). However, it avoids the direct CO2 emissions from burning the PSA
offgas. The main advantage of choosing
a methanator is that H2 is not lost via
the PSA offgas. Consequently, it reduces
natural gas consumption for the same H2
production. In addition, a methanator is
commonly applied in industry, as it satisfies the H2 purity requirements of most
industrial consumers.

FIG. 3. Relative CO2 intensity and cost of gray and blue H2 via SMR with pre- and post-combustion
capture, and blue H2 via proprietary gas POXa and pre-combustion capture solventd technologies.

FIG. 4. Relative capital investment comparison between gray and blue H2 via SMR and
gas POX technology.

History of gas POX oxidation technology. Gas POX technologyb is mature

and " low-carbon, " which makes it eligible
for government funding. It has a long
history of development and usage. For
example, research into oil gasification
was being conducted in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands as early as 1956.
Today, the proprietary gas POX technologyb has more than 30 active residue
and gas gasification licensees, and more
than 100 gasifiers using the technology

FIG. 5. The cost of gas POX technology relative to ATR.
H2Tech | Q2 2021

H2Tech - Q2 2021

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