Demonstrator Scale Hydrogen Generator using 3-D Structured Catalytic Static Mixer Technology

June 20th, 2023

R&D Focus Areas:
Liquid organic carriers, Mobility, Advanced manufacturing

Lead Organisation:
CSIRO

Partners:
Advanced Carbon Engineering Pty Ltd

Status:
Active

Start date:
June 2023

Completion date:
Estimated 2029

Key contacts:
John Chiefari: John.Chiefari@csiro.au
Christian Hornung: Christian.Hornung@csiro.au

Funding:
AUD$10 million – Advanced Carbon Engineering Pty Ltd

Project total cost:
~AUD$10 million

Project summary description:
This project will lead development of an off-grid, portable hydrogen generator system designed to recover hydrogen from liquid organic carriers at the point of consumption.

While the technology to add hydrogen to liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) is established, until recently there has been a lack of commercial dehydrogenation processes for these hydrogen carriers, especially for small- to medium-scale decentralised applications.

The CSIRO hydrogen generator will feature the agency’s patented Catalytic Static Mixer (CSM) technology. Catalytic static mixers are special tools that mix fluids to speed up and better control chemical reactions without any moving parts. This level of control allows the process to be highly scalable without the technical challenges that this usually entails.

The development of the hydrogen generation system would enable hydrogen to be produced locally and on demand from the carrier, with the added advantages of the carrier fluid being safely stored in a similar way to diesel or petrol.

The project would aim to build a pilot-scale hydrogen generator capable of producing 5 kilograms (kg) of hydrogen per day, followed by a demonstration-scale unit of around 20 kg per day production. The demonstration unit would be expected to be similar in size to a 12-metre shipping container.

Related publications and key links:
CSIRO launches $10m project to build Australia’s first movable hydrogen generator – CSIRO

Higher degree studies supported:
Not applicable

 

Reviewed: July 2024