Pd–Ag dense membrane application to improve the energetic efficiency of a hydrogen production industrial plant

This paper investigates the possibility of increasing the energetic efficiency of a hydrogen production industrial plant through the introduction of dense membranes in the steam reforming process. A simulation tool, developed in the Aspen Plus® framework has been used to model a 1500 N m3/h hydrogen production plant. Besides the original plant layout with a PSA purification unit, three different membrane installation configurations have been considered: before the shift reactor, at the exit of the shift reactor and before the PSA unit. For all the three configurations the plant capacity was set at 75%, changing the permeated hydrogen flow. The membrane surface and cost were also estimated for each solution. Membranes installation just after the shift reactor gives the best solution in terms of both plant energetic efficiency and cost reduction.