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Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 12:50 PM
203A (Long Beach Convention Center)
This abstract describes a project in which Gas Technology Institute utilizes biogas from a waste-water digester gas system to generate hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles and for stationary power generation.
One of the many benefits of introducing hydrogen into the nation’s portfolio of commercial fuels is the fact that it can be derived from multiple sources. The most common, but not necessarily the best source of hydrogen for early vehicle demonstration fleets as been “delivered” hydrogen, which generally comes from large, centralized steam methane reformation facilities.
Until the distribution efficiency of centralized hydrogen production can be improved, on-site generation of hydrogen appears to have the best potential for “well-to wheel” cost and emissions reductions from hydrogen compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles. In an effort to maximize the potential emissions improvements of on-site generation, “renewable hydrogen” is a long-term goal for eventual wide-spread deployment. Existing renewable demonstrations of solar and wind generation sourced hydrogen indicate however that there are still significant cost hurdles before achieving that long-term goal.
Renewable biogas resources are available that can provide commercially significant quantities of hydrogen for both stationary and transportation applications. GTI has three ongoing renewable fuels projects in which its technology is being used to convert biogas resources into fuel for real-world, commercial applications. The project discussed in this presentation utilizes waste-water digester gas as a source for fuel cell vehicles and for fuel cell stationary power generation.
In this federally-sponsored project, GTI has designed a collection system that cleans and purifies waste-water digester gas that is then supplied to an on-site steam methane reformer generating hydrogen for a number of vehicles in the sponsor’s fleet. This project has several operational and process control challenges, but ultimately demonstrates that a previously low-value waste gas can be converted into a high-value advanced transportation fuel.
The project also demonstrates that bio-gas is available from many sources and in sufficient quantities to provide fuel for at least a portion of tomorrow’s vehicle fleets. The conversion of biogas to hydrogen fuel is an engineering and controls design challenge, but may be accomplished using available systems and technologies without requiring any significant science break-through.
“Free” or low-cost energy from digester gas systems is typically used as a boiler fuel or, in some cases, to generate electricity. The gas produced is not typically injected into pipeline systems due to purification concerns by local gas distribution companies. By converting the biogas into a vehicle fuel two problems are solved: 1) the biogas becomes a valuable asset instead of a waste gas, and 2) hydrogen infrastructure is expanded via a renewable resource yielding a net reduction in emissions. Demonstrating that hydrogen can successfully be obtained from renewable biogas resources validates the importance of hydrogen as a fuel that can be obtained from a number of available sources.
One of the many benefits of introducing hydrogen into the nation’s portfolio of commercial fuels is the fact that it can be derived from multiple sources. The most common, but not necessarily the best source of hydrogen for early vehicle demonstration fleets as been “delivered” hydrogen, which generally comes from large, centralized steam methane reformation facilities.
Until the distribution efficiency of centralized hydrogen production can be improved, on-site generation of hydrogen appears to have the best potential for “well-to wheel” cost and emissions reductions from hydrogen compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles. In an effort to maximize the potential emissions improvements of on-site generation, “renewable hydrogen” is a long-term goal for eventual wide-spread deployment. Existing renewable demonstrations of solar and wind generation sourced hydrogen indicate however that there are still significant cost hurdles before achieving that long-term goal.
Renewable biogas resources are available that can provide commercially significant quantities of hydrogen for both stationary and transportation applications. GTI has three ongoing renewable fuels projects in which its technology is being used to convert biogas resources into fuel for real-world, commercial applications. The project discussed in this presentation utilizes waste-water digester gas as a source for fuel cell vehicles and for fuel cell stationary power generation.
In this federally-sponsored project, GTI has designed a collection system that cleans and purifies waste-water digester gas that is then supplied to an on-site steam methane reformer generating hydrogen for a number of vehicles in the sponsor’s fleet. This project has several operational and process control challenges, but ultimately demonstrates that a previously low-value waste gas can be converted into a high-value advanced transportation fuel.
The project also demonstrates that bio-gas is available from many sources and in sufficient quantities to provide fuel for at least a portion of tomorrow’s vehicle fleets. The conversion of biogas to hydrogen fuel is an engineering and controls design challenge, but may be accomplished using available systems and technologies without requiring any significant science break-through.
“Free” or low-cost energy from digester gas systems is typically used as a boiler fuel or, in some cases, to generate electricity. The gas produced is not typically injected into pipeline systems due to purification concerns by local gas distribution companies. By converting the biogas into a vehicle fuel two problems are solved: 1) the biogas becomes a valuable asset instead of a waste gas, and 2) hydrogen infrastructure is expanded via a renewable resource yielding a net reduction in emissions. Demonstrating that hydrogen can successfully be obtained from renewable biogas resources validates the importance of hydrogen as a fuel that can be obtained from a number of available sources.