Work

Exploitation of combined polymeric and ceramic membrane technology for hydrogen recovery from biogas reforming effluents: Prototype system tests and design optimization

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The pressing demand on sustainable hydrogen production has accelerated research in renewable resources and innovative separation technologies. The current study presents a comprehensive investigation of a hybrid membrane system combining polymeric and ceramic membranes for high-purity hydrogen recovery from biogas reforming effluents. A prototype system integrating a steam reformer and a dual stage membrane cascade was developed and tested. The CO 2 selective polymeric membranes and the H 2 selective nanoporous ceramic membranes were extensively characterized through single and mixed gas permeation tests. The whole system was tested using a simulating biogas stream with a specific composition of 60 % CH 4 and 40 % CO 2 . A dynamic simulation model was established to optimize membrane surface area and process configurations. Experimental results demonstrated hydrogen purities exceeding 99.2 % and recoveries up to 10.7 % in once through operation mode, while the simulation predicted recoveries up to 68 % with membrane module optimization and recycling mode activated. These findings underscore the potential of combined membrane systems as a scalable, novel implementation for hydrogen recovery from renewable sources, advancing the transition towards a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Source: Chemical Engineering Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2025.122489