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NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
1. 95% of the hydrogen produced in the United States is made by natural gas reforming in large plants.
Wed Apr 22, 2015, 02:48 PM
Apr 2015

This is really just a scam to keep us using fossil fuels and being dependent upon gas station infrastructure.

It's diabolical greenwashing.


Hydrogen Production: Natural Gas Reforming

Photo of Petroleum RefineryAlthough today most hydrogen is produced from natural gas, the Fuel Cell Technologies Office is exploring a variety of ways to produce hydrogen from renewable resources.Natural gas reforming is an advanced and mature production process that builds upon the existing natural gas pipeline delivery infrastructure. Today, 95% of the hydrogen produced in the United States is made by natural gas reforming in large central plants. This is an important technology pathway for near-term hydrogen production.
How Does It Work?

Natural gas contains methane (CH4) that can be used to produce hydrogen with thermal processes, such as steam-methane reformation and partial oxidation.
Steam-Methane Reforming

Most hydrogen produced today in the United States is made via steam-methane reforming, a mature production process in which high-temperature steam (700°C–1,000°C) is used to produce hydrogen from a methane source, such as natural gas. In steam-methane reforming, methane reacts with steam under 3–25 bar pressure (1 bar = 14.5 psi) in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and a relatively small amount of carbon dioxide. Steam reforming is endothermic—that is, heat must be supplied to the process for the reaction to proceed.

Subsequently, in what is called the "water-gas shift reaction," the carbon monoxide and steam are reacted using a catalyst to produce carbon dioxide and more hydrogen. In a final process step called "pressure-swing adsorption," carbon dioxide and other impurities are removed from the gas stream, leaving essentially pure hydrogen. Steam reforming can also be used to produce hydrogen from other fuels, such as ethanol, propane, or even gasoline.

http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-production-natural-gas-reforming
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