Renewable H2 via Pressure Swing Adsorption from waste gasification

Abstract

This work deals with the techno-economic assessment of Hydrogen production from waste-derived syngas coming from a large-scale gasifier. This research was developed for the purpose of converting nonrecyclable waste using a patented gasification technology to meet the demand for cleaner fuels, reducing global carbon emissions in line with the concept of a circular economy. A market analysis is conducted to identify the primary drivers and building blocks involved in the development of a Waste to Hydrogen scheme within the European context. Subsequently, a process route is designed and successfully implemented within Aspen Tech software to treat the raw syngas from the HTW gasifier, featuring a syngas adjustment and purification unit, a Pressure Swing Adsorption system, and a Combined Heat and Power unit. The system design achieves a Hydrogen recovery of 63% and purity around 99.5 vol%. The Hydrogen’s quality aligns with the requirements for use in refineries, ammonia and methanol production, and for various heat-related applications. The economic analysis demonstrated the profitability of the plant, with a return on investment at a rate of 9.7 %. The levelized cost of Hydrogen at 7.35 €/kg substantiates the competitiveness of the Waste to Hydrogen model in comparison to steam methane reforming and electrolysis routes. The project’s results offer a promising outlook for future research, indicating a sustainable approach to waste management and a viable pathway for reducing carbon emissions in the industry and transportation sectors.