Hydrogen is produced through various methods including steam reforming, hydrogen pinching, electrolysis, thermolysis, and biohydrogen production. Steam reforming is the most common method, while hydrogen pinching captures excess hydrogen. Electrolysis and thermolysis separate hydrogen molecules from water and urine, respectively. Biohydrogen production uses biological processes to produce hydrogen. Cost-effective methods need to be developed for mass production of hydrogen to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a hydrogen-based economy.
Hydrogen is produced as a by-product of industrial processes or harvested as a separate process for use in hydrogen fuel cells. The production of hydrogen occurs through several means. Some of the more common methods include steam reforming, hydrogen pinching, electrolysis and thermolysis, or biohydrogen production.
Steam reforming is the most common process used to harvest hydrogen generated as part of industrial processes. Using nickel as a catalyst, the vapor interacts with methanol at high temperatures to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. At lower temperatures, the resulting carbon monoxide can be further reformed to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This method of producing hydrogen has an efficiency rate of 65% to 75%.
Another method of producing hydrogen is called hydrogen pinching. This process shifts the use of hydrogen through areas of the hydrocracking process itself. The goal is to create a final process that neither produces nor emits hydrogen. Any excess hydrogen is captured and used for other purposes.
Electrolysis and thermolysis are used to produce hydrogen industrially. Also called water splitting, this method separates hydrogen molecules from oxygen molecules in water by passing an electric current through the water. While the electrolysis part of the process can be effective without additional heat, the high temperatures of thermolysis make the yield of hydrogen much greater. In some cases, urine was used instead of water, making the process 332% more efficient.
Biohydrogen production creates usable hydrogen as a result of biological processes. Using fermentation, enzymatic reactions and electrohydrogenesis, hydrogen can be produced from biological materials and waste products. Fermentation uses bacteria to break down biological materials, producing hydrogen in the process. Enzymatic reactions use enzymes to create hydrogen from sugar products. Electrohydrogenesis is a bioelectrolysis process that is the result of microbes and the decomposition of wastewater or plant materials.
While it is already being used as a clean energy resource to power some industrial processes, cost-effective methods need to be developed to mass-produce hydrogen for it to truly be seen as a competitive fuel option. With the further development and research of hydrogen production methods, it is possible to create a hydrogen-based economy, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. As better and more efficient ways to produce hydrogen are discovered, these resources can be used as alternative fuel sources. This alternative fuel can be used to power hydrogen cars, industrial equipment and other clean energy devices.
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