Gas Separation from CH4/H2 mixtures with Metal Hydrides Project
In addition to established hydrogen separation techniques such as PSA (pressure swing adsorption), membrane technologies, and electrochemical processes, hydrogen can be separated efficiently and highly selectively from gas mixtures using suitable metals or metal alloys. For the selective separation of H₂ from gas mixtures, both high-temperature and low-temperature processes can be used with suitable metals or metal alloys. This led to the formation of metal hydrides during hydrogenation. The subsequent dehydrogenation releases pure hydrogen, completing the hydrogen separation process. In a completed project, Michael Felderhoff’s group, with its cooperation partner IUTA in Duisburg, investigated the separation of H₂ from CH₄ and natural gas (up to 20 vol.% H₂) using magnesium in two simultaneously operated reactors. (https://www.iuta.de/igf/igf-forschungsprojekte/aif-nummer/20761/). In the current project, the separation of hydrogen from an H2/N2 gas mixture (60 vol. % H2) using a low-temperature metal (hydride) is experimentally investigated.