Hydrogen generation process with dual pressure multi stage electrolysis
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsEdward J. Lahoda, David F. McLaughlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-pressure hybrid sulfur process (2) contains at least one electrolyzer unit (16)which provides liquid H2SO4 to a preheater/vaporizer reactor (20) operating at a pressure of from 1 MPa to 9 MPa to form gaseous H2SO4 which is passed to a decomposition reactor (14) operating at a pressure of from 7 MPa to 9 MPa, where decomposed H2SO4 is passed to at least one scrubber unit (14) and at least one electrolyzer unit (16) both preferably operating at a pressure of 0.1 MPa to 7 MPa, where an associated Rankine Cycle power conversion unit (50) supplies electricity.
Claims10
A dual pressure hybrid sulfur process for hydrogen generation utilizing the decomposition of H2SO4 to H2O, SO2 and O2, with heat from a nuclear reactor or natural gas fed combustor, which comprises:
- (a) a H2SO4 decomposition reactor operating at pressure of from 7 MPa to 9 MPa;
- (b) at least one SO2 recovery process operating at a pressure of 0.1 MPa to 7 MPa;
- and
- (c) at least one electrolyzer to produce liquid H2SO4;
- (d) and a Rankine Cycle to provide electrical power to the hybrid sulfur process.
A dual pressure hybrid sulfur process which comprises
- (a) a sulfur cycle, selected from the group consisting of a Westinghouse Sulfur Process and a Sulfur Iodine Process, comprising an electrolyzer which provides H2SO4 liquid to a H2SO4 vaporizer reactor operating at a pressure and a temperature effective to provide vaporized gaseous H2SO4 which is decomposed to gaseous H2O, SO2 and O2 in a decomposition reactor operating at a pressure of from 7 MPa to 9 MPa, which gases are passed to at least one SO2 scrubber unit operated with at least one electrolyzer unit, where input electricity to the at least one electrolyzer unit results in the production of hydrogen gas and H2SO4 liquid, where both the at least one SO2 scrubber units and the at least one electrolyzer units operate at a pressure of 0.1 MPa to 7 MPa;
- (b) Rankine Cycle Power Conversion Unit, which supplies electricity to at least the electrolyzer units;
- and
- (c) a heat source selected from the group consisting of a nuclear reactor and a gas fired combustor, which supplies fluid heat to the Rankine Cycle Unit and the sulfur cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.