NOVOSIBIRSK, February 8 Specialists from the Institute of Catalysis SB RAS and the Hydrogen Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative on its basis were the first in the world to find an alternative to hydrocarbon fuel for producing synthesis -gas, on which fuel cells of promising hydrogen energy operate, the NTI center reported on Thursday.
“Specialists <…> were the first in the world to successfully carry out the air conversion of the synthetic organic compound dimethoxymethane into synthesis gas to power solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The relatively low reaction temperature of 400 degrees and the high purity of the product make it possible to make power plants based on such SOFCs autonomous , mobile and more compact,” the message says.
The competence center explained: dimethoxymethane (or methylal) is an oxygen-containing organic compound that is obtained from methanol, but unlike it, this compound does not poisonous and more convenient to handle. Due to its properties, dimethoxymethane is promising for use in hydrogen energy as an alternative to hydrocarbons as a raw material for producing synthesis gas.
According to scientists, traditionally, synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide is produced by catalytic conversion of methane, but this results in a large emission of carbon dioxide. To produce synthesis gas from dimethoxymethane by air reforming, scientists have developed highly efficient catalysts containing as little as one weight percent platinum.
“The main advantages of the technology are the low reaction temperature (half that of steam reforming of methane), the absence of the need to purify the gas and the autonomy of the installation. The reaction can be carried out without an external energy source, and the total content of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at the outlet of the catalytic reactor reaches approximately 70 %. When using steam reforming of methane, this figure is about 50%. In addition, in the process of air conversion, methanol, which is more accessible, can be used,” the NTI center reported.
“We have shown for the first time the possibility of producing synthesis gas from dimethoxymethane by air conversion <…> Contrary to thermodynamics, the reaction proceeds most efficiently already at 400 degrees — dimethoxymethane and oxygen from the air are completely converted into synthesis gas with a high content of hydrogen and CO,” — said the author of the study, leading researcher at the Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis of the Institute of Natural Sciences SB RAS Sukhe Badmaev.
Head of the NTI Competence Center «Hydrogen as the basis of a low-carbon economy» Pavel Snytnikov noted that the promising development of energy, transport and chemical production is directly related to gas chemistry. In this regard, natural gas processing technologies, primarily products of the so-called C1 chemistry, which include dimethoxymethane, will become the “building blocks” of the new gas chemical industry, partially replace hydrocarbons and ultimately reduce the overall carbon footprint.
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