Customized experimental campaigns for optimizing hydrocarbon cracking to produce hydrogen and coke, with focus on by-products formation
Hydrocarbon cracking is a well-established technology that enables the production of significant amounts of hydrogen. For example, through the thermal cracking of methane, it is possible to obtain approximately 3 kg of hydrogen for every 10 kg of methane used. This method is particularly appealing because, compared to water electrolysis, cracking offers a more cost-effective solution, especially in regions where renewable energy is still expensive.
Globally, 95% of hydrogen production comes from hydrocarbon-based processes, such as steam reforming and cracking. However, direct thermal cracking has the advantage of generating lower CO and CO₂ emissions, as the reaction occurs without direct oxidation. In fact, carbon is collected in the form of solid coke, which can be valorized for applications such as the production of electrodes for the metallurgical industry.
From an energy yield perspective, hydrocarbon cracking can achieve energy efficiencies above 70% when optimized, making it a competitive option for hydrogen production. However, for sustainable large-scale adoption, challenges related to coke management must be addressed.
At K-INN Tech, we have different laboratory setups to test the reaction of methane and higher hydrocarbon cracking (ethane, propane, butane) for hydrogen production under varying operating conditions, offering unique flexibility to better understand the reactions involved. We are capable of applying extreme conditions, with temperatures up to 900°C and pressures up to 30 bar. Additionally, we can feed different percentages of hydrogen and steam into the reactor. We measure the concentration profiles of the gas compounds in real-time, including the hydrogen formed from hydrocarbon decomposition. Techniques employed include gas chromatography (GC with TCD + FID) and direct access mass spectrometry. We also ensure the closure of material balances by quantifying the total coke produced: our method measures it indirectly through post-cracking oxidation, managed with high-precision instrumentation (FT-IR spectrometry).
