Available Technology
Inexpensive high purity hydrogen production membrane
Technology:
Nano-scale gas separation device utilizing a single phase oxide mixed conductor for high purity hydrogen production
Markets Addressed
Hydrogen gas separation. The invention offered here utilizes easily fabricated thin-film membranes to make possible an efficient tool for hydrogen separation with production rate per unit area, 5-10 times more than current technologies. Traditionally, industry has refined hydrogen through one of two processes [1] steam methane reformation, and [2] coal gasification or a combination of the two. These methods when used independently produce a contaminated product that is unsuitable for many applications and when combine produce an expensive product that is difficult to justify economically. Currently there exists no method for high purity, low cost hydrogen production. Applications for this hydrogen include:
• Chemical Production
• Fuel Cells (PEM)
Innovations and Advantages
This technology increases potential hydrogen production rates while decreasing costs by utilizing a thin film structure for gas separation. It composes a nano-scale mixed ionic and electronic conductor (MIEC) membrane that is two orders of magnitude thinner than existing available membranes. This reduced membrane thickness helps achieve high ambipolar conductivity which leads to the potential for increased hydrogen production. By using this method, the hydrogen production rate is independent of the chemical diffusion coefficient, leading to a process that performs as if it were membrane-less. The fabrication of the membrane used is easy and cheap owing to the modularity of the system. This is the next generation technology for hydrogen production.
Additional Information
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Inventor(s):
Karthikeyan, Annamalai
Ramanathan, Shriram
Categories:
For further information, please contact:
Sam Liss, Director of Business Development
(617) 495-4371
Reference Harvard Case #2720