Hydrogen production from molten metal gasification

As fossil fuel reserves are depleted, more innovative technologies are needed to facilitate fuel production, such as molten media gasification. This technique uses a liquid metal bath in a two-stage process: Stage 1) superheated steam is injected into the melt, with metal oxides formed, and H2 released; Stage 2) carbon is injected, the oxide is reduced, and CO and CO2 are released. The main study objective was to develop and test the first stage of this process. The results showed that hydrogen production peaked 100 s into the test, and then levelled off, with a maximum output of 13.6% hydrogen. XRD analysis of the metal samples showed that no tin oxides or magnetite were formed during the process, only a form of wustite (FeO). The syngas produced was very clean, and would need little gas cleaning for use as a feedstock in industrial processes or fuel cells.