IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i18p11206-d909077.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advancements in Thermochemical Processes for Clean Hydrogen Production to Decarbonize the Energy Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Arnob Das

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh)

  • Susmita Datta Peu

    (Department of Agriculture, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh)

Abstract

Hydrogen is a source of clean energy as it can produce electricity and heat with water as a by-product and no carbon content is emitted when hydrogen is used as burning fuel in a fuel cell. Hydrogen is a potential energy carrier and powerful fuel as it has high flammability, fast flame speed, no carbon content, and no emission of pollutants. Hydrogen production is possible through different technologies by utilizing several feedstock materials, but the main concern in recent years is to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from energy sectors. Hydrogen production by thermochemical conversion of biomass and greenhouse gases has achieved much attention as researchers have developed several novel thermochemical methods which can be operated with low cost and high efficiency in an environmentally friendly way. This review explained the novel technologies which are being developed for thermochemical hydrogen production with minimum or zero carbon emission. The main concern of this paper was to review the advancements in hydrogen production technologies and to discuss different novel catalysts and novel CO 2 -absorbent materials which can enhance the hydrogen production rate with zero carbon emission. Recent developments in thermochemical hydrogen production technologies were discussed in this paper. Biomass gasification and pyrolysis, steam methane reforming, and thermal plasma are promising thermochemical processes which can be further enhanced by using catalysts and sorbents. This paper also reviewed the developments and influences of different catalysts and sorbents to understand their suitability for continuous clean industrial hydrogen production.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnob Das & Susmita Datta Peu, 2022. "A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advancements in Thermochemical Processes for Clean Hydrogen Production to Decarbonize the Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-42, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11206-:d:909077
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11206/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11206/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Winter, Ralph A., 2014. "Innovation and the dynamics of global warming," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 124-140.
    2. Christoph Falter & Andreas Sizmann, 2021. "Solar Thermochemical Hydrogen Production in the USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Deng, Jin & Liu, Ziliang & Qin, Tao & Chen, Xin & Li, Kuo & Meng, Linshuai & Zhao, Yan & Zhou, Yujie & Yuan, Shenfu, 2022. "Development of Ni-doped Fe/Ca catalyst to be used for hydrogen-rich syngas production during medicine residue pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).
    4. Šuhaj, Patrik & Husár, Jakub & Haydary, Juma & Annus, Július, 2022. "Experimental verification of a pilot pyrolysis/split product gasification (PSPG) unit," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    5. Li, Rui & Zeng, Kuo & Soria, José & Mazza, Germán & Gauthier, Daniel & Rodriguez, Rosa & Flamant, Gilles, 2016. "Product distribution from solar pyrolysis of agricultural and forestry biomass residues," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 27-35.
    6. Rizkiana, Jenny & Guan, Guoqing & Widayatno, Wahyu Bambang & Hao, Xiaogang & Wang, Zhongde & Zhang, Zhonglin & Abudula, Abuliti, 2015. "Oil production from mild pyrolysis of low-rank coal in molten salts media," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 944-950.
    7. Deng, Jin & Zhou, Yujie & Zhao, Yan & Meng, Lingshuai & Qin, Tao & Chen, Xin & Li, Kuo & Yuan, Shenfu, 2022. "Catalytic pyrolysis of pine needle biomass over Fe–Co–K catalyst for H2-rich syngas production: Influence of catalyst preparation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    8. Zeng, Kuo & Li, Jun & Xie, Yingpu & Yang, Haiping & Yang, Xinyi & Zhong, Dian & Zhen, Wanxin & Flamant, Gilles & Chen, Hanping, 2020. "Molten salt pyrolysis of biomass: The mechanism of volatile reforming and pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    9. Hennicke, Peter & Fischedick, Manfred, 2006. "Towards sustainable energy systems: The related role of hydrogen," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 1260-1270, July.
    10. Zhao, Ming & Memon, Muhammad Zaki & Ji, Guozhao & Yang, Xiaoxiao & Vuppaladadiyam, Arun K. & Song, Yinqiang & Raheem, Abdul & Li, Jinhui & Wang, Wei & Zhou, Hui, 2020. "Alkali metal bifunctional catalyst-sorbents enabled biomass pyrolysis for enhanced hydrogen production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 168-175.
    11. Sánchez, M. & Clifford, B. & Nixon, J.D., 2018. "Modelling and evaluating a solar pyrolysis system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 630-638.
    12. Zhu, Xuancan & Shi, Yixiang & Cai, Ningsheng, 2016. "Integrated gasification combined cycle with carbon dioxide capture by elevated temperature pressure swing adsorption," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 196-208.
    13. Tanksale, Akshat & Beltramini, Jorge Norberto & Lu, GaoQing Max, 2010. "A review of catalytic hydrogen production processes from biomass," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 166-182, January.
    14. Alanne, Kari & Cao, Sunliang, 2019. "An overview of the concept and technology of ubiquitous energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 284-302.
    15. Stram, Bruce N., 2016. "Key challenges to expanding renewable energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 728-734.
    16. Dou, Binlin & Song, Yongchen & Wang, Chao & Chen, Haisheng & Yang, Mingjun & Xu, Yujie, 2014. "Hydrogen production by enhanced-sorption chemical looping steam reforming of glycerol in moving-bed reactors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 342-349.
    17. Bhandari, Ramchandra, 2022. "Green hydrogen production potential in West Africa – Case of Niger," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 800-811.
    18. Chisalita, Dora-Andreea & Cormos, Calin-Cristian, 2019. "Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen production processes based on various natural gas chemical looping systems with carbon capture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 331-344.
    19. Nzihou, Ange & Flamant, Gilles & Stanmore, Brian, 2012. "Synthetic fuels from biomass using concentrated solar energy – A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 121-131.
    20. Baroutaji, Ahmad & Wilberforce, Tabbi & Ramadan, Mohamad & Olabi, Abdul Ghani, 2019. "Comprehensive investigation on hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the aviation and aerospace sectors," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 31-40.
    21. Rahman, Md Hafizur & Bhoi, Prakashbhai R. & Saha, Arpita & Patil, Vivek & Adhikari, Sushil, 2021. "Thermo-catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and high-density polyethylene for improving the yield and quality of pyrolysis liquid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    22. Eman Hassan Beshr & Hazem Abdelghany & Mahmoud Eteiba, 2018. "Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, February.
    23. Bhoi, P.R. & Ouedraogo, A.S. & Soloiu, V. & Quirino, R., 2020. "Recent advances on catalysts for improving hydrocarbon compounds in bio-oil of biomass catalytic pyrolysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    24. Yan, Xianyao & Li, Yingjie & Ma, Xiaotong & Bian, Zhiguo & Zhao, Jianli & Wang, Zeyan, 2020. "CeO2-modified CaO/Ca12Al14O33 bi-functional material for CO2 capture and H2 production in sorption-enhanced steam gasification of biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    25. Hafizi, A. & Rahimpour, M.R. & Hassanajili, Sh., 2016. "Hydrogen production via chemical looping steam methane reforming process: Effect of cerium and calcium promoters on the performance of Fe2O3/Al2O3 oxygen carrier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 685-694.
    26. Oh, Tick Hui, 2010. "Carbon capture and storage potential in coal-fired plant in Malaysia--A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2697-2709, December.
    27. Curcio, Axel & Rodat, Sylvain & Vuillerme, Valéry & Abanades, Stéphane, 2022. "Design and validation of reactant feeding control strategies for the solar-autothermal hybrid gasification of woody biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    28. Parthasarathy, Prakash & Narayanan, K. Sheeba, 2014. "Hydrogen production from steam gasification of biomass: Influence of process parameters on hydrogen yield – A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 570-579.
    29. Kathe, Mandar V. & Empfield, Abbey & Na, Jing & Blair, Elena & Fan, Liang-Shih, 2016. "Hydrogen production from natural gas using an iron-based chemical looping technology: Thermodynamic simulations and process system analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 183-201.
    30. Samuel C. Bayham & Andrew Tong & Mandar Kathe & Liang-Shih Fan, 2016. "Chemical looping technology for energy and chemical production," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(2), pages 216-241, March.
    31. Estelle le Saché & Sarah Johnson & Laura Pastor-Pérez & Bahman Amini Horri & Tomas R. Reina, 2019. "Biogas Upgrading Via Dry Reforming Over a Ni-Sn/CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 Catalyst: Influence of the Biogas Source," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-14, March.
    32. Bhoi, Prakashbhai R. & Huhnke, Raymond L. & Kumar, Ajay & Indrawan, Natarianto & Thapa, Sunil, 2018. "Co-gasification of municipal solid waste and biomass in a commercial scale downdraft gasifier," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 513-518.
    33. Hathaway, Brandon J. & Honda, Masanori & Kittelson, David B. & Davidson, Jane H., 2013. "Steam gasification of plant biomass using molten carbonate salts," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 211-217.
    34. Frey, Gary W. & Linke, Deborah M., 2002. "Hydropower as a renewable and sustainable energy resource meeting global energy challenges in a reasonable way," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(14), pages 1261-1265, November.
    35. He, Xiao & Zeng, Kuo & Xie, Yingpu & Flamant, Gilles & Yang, Haiping & Yang, Xinyi & Nzihou, Ange & Zheng, Anqing & Ding, Zhi & Chen, Hanping, 2019. "The effects of temperature and molten salt on solar pyrolysis of lignite," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 407-416.
    36. Fan, Yuyang & Tippayawong, Nakorn & Wei, Guoqiang & Huang, Zhen & Zhao, Kun & Jiang, Liqun & Zheng, Anqing & Zhao, Zengli & Li, Haibin, 2020. "Minimizing tar formation whilst enhancing syngas production by integrating biomass torrefaction pretreatment with chemical looping gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    37. Ong, Hwai Chyuan & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Farooq, Abid & Gan, Yong Yang & Lee, Keat Teong & Ashokkumar, Veeramuthu, 2019. "Catalytic thermochemical conversion of biomass for biofuel production: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-1.
    38. Sunil Thapa & Prakashbhai R. Bhoi & Ajay Kumar & Raymond L. Huhnke, 2017. "Effects of Syngas Cooling and Biomass Filter Medium on Tar Removal," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-12, March.
    39. Magoua Mbeugang, Christian Fabrice & Li, Bin & Lin, Dan & Xie, Xing & Wang, Shuaijun & Wang, Shuang & Zhang, Shu & Huang, Yong & Liu, Dongjing & Wang, Qian, 2021. "Hydrogen rich syngas production from sorption enhanced gasification of cellulose in the presence of calcium oxide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    40. Lam, Su Shiung & Wan Mahari, Wan Adibah & Ok, Yong Sik & Peng, Wanxi & Chong, Cheng Tung & Ma, Nyuk Ling & Chase, Howard A. & Liew, Zhenling & Yusup, Suzana & Kwon, Eilhann E. & Tsang, Daniel C.W., 2019. "Microwave vacuum pyrolysis of waste plastic and used cooking oil for simultaneous waste reduction and sustainable energy conversion: Recovery of cleaner liquid fuel and techno-economic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abdul Rahim Shaikh & Qinhui Wang & Long Han & Yi Feng & Zohaib Sharif & Zhixin Li & Jianmeng Cen & Sunel Kumar, 2022. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen and Electricity Production by Biomass Calcium Looping Gasification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Esteban-Díez, G. & Gil, María V. & Pevida, C. & Chen, D. & Rubiera, F., 2016. "Effect of operating conditions on the sorption enhanced steam reforming of blends of acetic acid and acetone as bio-oil model compounds," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 579-590.
    3. Luo, Ming & Yi, Yang & Wang, Shuzhong & Wang, Zhuliang & Du, Min & Pan, Jianfeng & Wang, Qian, 2018. "Review of hydrogen production using chemical-looping technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 3186-3214.
    4. Cho, Won Chul & Lee, Jun Kyu & Nam, Gyeong Duk & Kim, Chang Hee & Cho, Hyun-Seok & Joo, Jong Hoon, 2019. "Degradation analysis of mixed ionic-electronic conductor-supported iron-oxide oxygen carriers for chemical-looping conversion of methane," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 644-657.
    5. Antzaras, Andy N. & Lemonidou, Angeliki A., 2022. "Recent advances on materials and processes for intensified production of blue hydrogen," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Qiu, Yu & Zhang, Shuai & Cui, Dongxu & Li, Min & Zeng, Jimin & Zeng, Dewang & Xiao, Rui, 2019. "Enhanced hydrogen production performance at intermediate temperatures through the synergistic effects of binary oxygen carriers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    7. Backer, Michael & Gladen, Adam, 2023. "Impact of salt composition and temperature on low-temperature torrefaction of pine in molten nitrate salts," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    8. Tamer Y. A. Fahmy & Yehia Fahmy & Fardous Mobarak & Mohamed El-Sakhawy & Ragab E. Abou-Zeid, 2020. "Biomass pyrolysis: past, present, and future," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 17-32, January.
    9. Burra, K.G. & Hussein, M.S. & Amano, R.S. & Gupta, A.K., 2016. "Syngas evolutionary behavior during chicken manure pyrolysis and air gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 408-415.
    10. Alina E. Kozhukhova & Stephanus P. du Preez & Dmitri G. Bessarabov, 2021. "Catalytic Hydrogen Combustion for Domestic and Safety Applications: A Critical Review of Catalyst Materials and Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    11. Zhang, Yitao & Wang, Dawei & Pottimurthy, Yaswanth & Kong, Fanhe & Hsieh, Tien-Lin & Sakadjian, Bartev & Chung, Cheng & Park, Cody & Xu, Dikai & Bao, Jinhua & Velazquez-Vargas, Luis & Guo, Mengqing & , 2021. "Coal direct chemical looping process: 250 kW pilot-scale testing for power generation and carbon capture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    12. Andrew N. Amenaghawon & Chinedu L. Anyalewechi & Charity O. Okieimen & Heri Septya Kusuma, 2021. "Biomass pyrolysis technologies for value-added products: a state-of-the-art review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(10), pages 14324-14378, October.
    13. Ge, Shengbo & Yek, Peter Nai Yuh & Cheng, Yoke Wang & Xia, Changlei & Wan Mahari, Wan Adibah & Liew, Rock Keey & Peng, Wanxi & Yuan, Tong-Qi & Tabatabaei, Meisam & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Sonne, Christia, 2021. "Progress in microwave pyrolysis conversion of agricultural waste to value-added biofuels: A batch to continuous approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    14. Ahmad Baroutaji & Arun Arjunan & John Robinson & Tabbi Wilberforce & Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem & Abdul Ghani Olabi, 2021. "PEMFC Poly-Generation Systems: Developments, Merits, and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-31, October.
    15. Shah, Vedant & Cheng, Zhuo & Baser, Deven S. & Fan, Jonathan A. & Fan, Liang-Shih, 2021. "Highly Selective Production of Syngas from Chemical Looping Reforming of Methane with CO2 Utilization on MgO-supported Calcium Ferrite Redox Materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    16. Nadgouda, Sourabh G. & Guo, Mengqing & Tong, Andrew & Fan, L.-S., 2019. "High purity syngas and hydrogen coproduction using copper-iron oxygen carriers in chemical looping reforming process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 1415-1426.
    17. Xie, Yingpu & Zeng, Kuo & Flamant, Gilles & Yang, Haiping & Liu, Nian & He, Xiao & Yang, Xinyi & Nzihou, Ange & Chen, Hanping, 2019. "Solar pyrolysis of cotton stalk in molten salt for bio-fuel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1124-1132.
    18. Wei, Yi & Lu, Licong & Zhang, Xudong & Ji, Jianbing, 2022. "Hydrogen produced at low temperatures by electrochemically assisted pyrolysis of cellulose in molten carbonate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    19. Natarianto Indrawan & Betty Simkins & Ajay Kumar & Raymond L. Huhnke, 2020. "Economics of Distributed Power Generation via Gasification of Biomass and Municipal Solid Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-18, July.
    20. Chutichai, Bhawasut & Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn & Assabumrungrat, Suttichai & Arpornwichanop, Amornchai, 2015. "Parametric analysis of a circulating fluidized bed biomass gasifier for hydrogen production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 406-413.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11206-:d:909077. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.