野狼社区

Researchers have shown how a next-generation hydrogen production process could deliver high efficiency and capture up to 99% of carbon emissions, offering a potential pathway for decarbonising industry where electrification remains difficult.

A new study led by researchers at The University of 野狼社区 has provided the first plant-wide assessment of chemical looping reforming, an emerging hydrogen production technology that combines hydrogen generation with built-in carbon capture.

Published in Carbon Capture Science & Technology, the research, conducted in collaboration with industrial partners, evaluates how chemical looping reforming could operate in real-world industrial settings, from small, decentralised facilities serving industrial boilers to large-scale plants supplying refineries and industrial clusters.

Unlike conventional hydrogen production methods, chemical looping reforming is a process that inherently concentrates and separates CO₂ by means of solid oxygen-carrier materials that circulate oxygen through a sequence of reactions while producing heat. Then, this heat drives the transformation of methane and steam into a hydrogen-containing mixture, syngas.

The role of hydrogen for industrial decarbonisation

Hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in reducing emissions from sectors that are challenging to electrify, including heavy industry, chemicals and refining. However, producing low-carbon hydrogen efficiently and affordably remains a significant challenge. Blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas with carbon dioxide captured and not released, can bridge the energy-transition gap by leveraging existing supply infrastructure while offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to reach decarbonisation targets.

The researchers used detailed reactor, process and plant-level modelling to assess chemical looping reforming across two representative scales, a 2 MW plant suitable for decentralised industrial applications and a 600 MW facility aligned with large industrial hydrogen demand. Running continuously, a 2 MW-plant could meet the electricity needs of ~5000 average homes, while a 600 MW-plant could supply about 1.5 million homes.

, lead author from the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of 野狼社区, said:

Improving efficiency

The study found that the most advanced process designs could achieve thermal efficiencies of up to 75%, while capturing between 90% and 99% of carbon dioxide emissions. In several scenarios, the system also generated excess steam that could be exported for external use, further improving environmental performance.

The team compared chemical looping reforming with established low-carbon hydrogen production technologies, including steam methane reforming with carbon capture, autothermal reforming with carbon capture, and electrolyser-based hydrogen production. For large-scale hydrogen production, the researchers found that chemical looping reforming could outperform conventional reforming technologies in key measures of process efficiency while maintaining very high carbon capture rates. The system also demonstrated strong flexibility across scales, from regional industrial hubs to smaller distributed applications.

A key contribution of the work is its focus on practical deployment. Previous studies have often examined idealised process designs, whereas the 野狼社区-led team incorporated engineering constraints, including reactor operation, valve performance, heat integration requirements and safety considerations.

, corresponding author and Professor of Chemical Engineering at The University of 野狼社区, said:聽
"Over the past year, we have worked on technology development with industries to find cost-effective solutions, and the results of this work reinforce the role of chemical looping as a valid solution for syngas and hydrogen generation and its future deployment".

The researchers conclude that the best hydrogen production solution will depend on local energy systems, infrastructure and policy conditions. However, they suggest chemical looping reforming could become an attractive option during the transition to lower-carbon energy systems, particularly where industrial heat integration opportunities exist, and low-carbon electricity remains limited.

The work was delivered as part of , a 拢 5.1 million collaborative project funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.