Four new projects which will aim to use pgms to enhance hydrogen fuel production have been given the green light by the US department of energy (DOE).

The projects will involve testing membrane technology to separate hydrogen and CO2 from coal or coal/biomass-derived synthesis gas, Fossil Energy Techline reports.

If successful, the research could lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions, while also improving efficiencies and cutting consumer electricity costs from advanced coal gasification power systems.

The first project is Praxair, which will link up with the Colorado School of Mines at T3 Scientific to demonstrate palladium and palladium alloy membranes on ceramic supports for hydrogen separation from coal-derived syngas.

United Technologies Research Center is set to partner with Power+Energy to deliver similar tests, using the dense metal, surface-modified dense metal and nano-composite metal forms of the membranes.

Western Research Institute will team up with Chart Energy and Chemicals and Synkera Technologies to develop and test planar palladium-based ceramic-anodic aluminium oxide membranes for hydrogen separation from coal-derived syngas streams.

Finally, Worcester Polytechnic Institute will demonstrate hydrogen separation from coal-derived syngas using palladium and palladium alloy membranes on porous metal supports.

The body will join forces with Membrane Technology and Research, Siemens Energy America and T3 Scientific to deliver the studies.

A combined value of $7.6 million over 15 months has been placed on the projects, with the DOE supplying $5.9 million and non-federal cost sharing totalling $1.7 million.

Source:

New Projects Set to Target Efficiency, Environmental Gains at Advanced Coal Gasification Facilities (27/07/10)

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