IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v329y2025ics0360544225023229.html

A novel mid-temperature chemical looping system with near-zero carbon emissions for hydrogen and power coproduction

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Yang
  • Fang, Yu
  • Liu, Mingkai
  • Liu, Kai
  • Gai, Zhongrui
  • Shen, Yuanhui
  • Zhang, Ruqi
  • Pan, Ying
  • Jin, Hongguang

Abstract

Designing an efficient system for conversion of fossil fuel to hydrogen with lower environmental impact represents a promising strategy to meet the demands of a low-carbon future society. This study introduces an integrated chemical looping system combining hydrogen production and combustion for low-carbon fossil fuel conversion. The system achieves hydrogen production at 600 °C, significantly lower than conventional steam methane reforming (850 °C). Moreover, chemical looping combustion is employed to enable efficient CO2 capture. The proposed system is investigated from key reactions, system performance, and economic feasibility aspects. Experimental results show 80 % methane conversion, a hydrogen yield of 2.6 in the hydrogen production process, and nearly 100 % CO2 purity from purge gas combustion. Thermodynamic analysis reveals the energy and exergy efficiencies of 74.3 % and 68.9 %, surpassing the reference system by 3.6 % and 4.1 %, respectively. Economic assessment indicates a 10 % reduction in the levelized cost of hydrogen compared to the reference system. 1000 consecutive cycles confirm the outstanding stability of the oxygen carrier particles for the system. This study demonstrates the system's feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential for sustainable hydrogen production with minimal environmental impact, introducing a promising method for the efficient utilization of fossil fuels.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Yang & Fang, Yu & Liu, Mingkai & Liu, Kai & Gai, Zhongrui & Shen, Yuanhui & Zhang, Ruqi & Pan, Ying & Jin, Hongguang, 2025. "A novel mid-temperature chemical looping system with near-zero carbon emissions for hydrogen and power coproduction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 329(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:329:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225023229
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136680
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225023229
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136680?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Haider, S.K. & Azimi, G. & Duan, L. & Anthony, E.J. & Patchigolla, K. & Oakey, J.E. & Leion, H. & Mattisson, T. & Lyngfelt, A., 2016. "Enhancing properties of iron and manganese ores as oxygen carriers for chemical looping processes by dry impregnation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 41-50.
    2. Chisalita, Dora-Andreea & Cormos, Calin-Cristian, 2019. "Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen production processes based on various natural gas chemical looping systems with carbon capture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 331-344.
    3. Li, Y.L. & Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2020. "Carbon network embodied in international trade: Global structural evolution and its policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Liu, Yiyuan & Zhu, Qunzhi & Zhang, Tao & Yan, Xuefeng & Duan, Rui, 2020. "Analysis of chemical-looping hydrogen production and power generation system driven by solar energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 863-874.
    5. Parthasarathy, Prakash & Narayanan, K. Sheeba, 2014. "Hydrogen production from steam gasification of biomass: Influence of process parameters on hydrogen yield – A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 570-579.
    6. Kathe, Mandar V. & Empfield, Abbey & Na, Jing & Blair, Elena & Fan, Liang-Shih, 2016. "Hydrogen production from natural gas using an iron-based chemical looping technology: Thermodynamic simulations and process system analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 183-201.
    7. Hsieh, Tien-Lin & Xu, Dikai & Zhang, Yitao & Nadgouda, Sourabh & Wang, Dawei & Chung, Cheng & Pottimurphy, Yaswanth & Guo, Mengqing & Chen, Yu-Yen & Xu, Mingyuan & He, Pengfei & Fan, Liang-Shih & Tong, 2018. "250 kWth high pressure pilot demonstration of the syngas chemical looping system for high purity H2 production with CO2 capture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 1660-1672.
    8. Yan Liu & Lang Qin & Zhuo Cheng & Josh W. Goetze & Fanhe Kong & Jonathan A. Fan & Liang-Shih Fan, 2019. "Near 100% CO selectivity in nanoscaled iron-based oxygen carriers for chemical looping methane partial oxidation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-6, December.
    9. Pashchenko, Dmitry & Makarov, Ivan, 2021. "Carbon deposition in steam methane reforming over a Ni-based catalyst: Experimental and thermodynamic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    10. Li, Jichao & Han, Wei & Song, Xinyang & Li, Peijing & Wang, Zefeng & Jin, Hongguang, 2024. "Near-zero carbon emission power generation system enabled by staged coal gasification and chemical recuperation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Zhulian & Liu, Taixiu & Fang, Yu & Gao, Shuo & Liu, Qibin, 2026. "A carbon-negative solar fuel production method with enhanced solar contribution and superior CO2 reduction capacity: Experimental and system investigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 407(C).
    2. Arnob Das & Susmita Datta Peu, 2022. "A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advancements in Thermochemical Processes for Clean Hydrogen Production to Decarbonize the Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-42, September.
    3. Zhang, Yitao & Wang, Dawei & Pottimurthy, Yaswanth & Kong, Fanhe & Hsieh, Tien-Lin & Sakadjian, Bartev & Chung, Cheng & Park, Cody & Xu, Dikai & Bao, Jinhua & Velazquez-Vargas, Luis & Guo, Mengqing & , 2021. "Coal direct chemical looping process: 250 kW pilot-scale testing for power generation and carbon capture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    4. Abdul Rahim Shaikh & Qinhui Wang & Long Han & Yi Feng & Zohaib Sharif & Zhixin Li & Jianmeng Cen & Sunel Kumar, 2022. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen and Electricity Production by Biomass Calcium Looping Gasification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    5. Chisalita, Dora-Andreea & Petrescu, Letitia & Cormos, Calin-Cristian, 2020. "Environmental evaluation of european ammonia production considering various hydrogen supply chains," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    6. Li, Heyu & Sun, Zhe & Cao, Yan, 2024. "Experimental and process simulation on solid fuel chemical looping cascade utilization conversion technology aiming hydrogen generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    7. Cho, Won Chul & Lee, Jun Kyu & Nam, Gyeong Duk & Kim, Chang Hee & Cho, Hyun-Seok & Joo, Jong Hoon, 2019. "Degradation analysis of mixed ionic-electronic conductor-supported iron-oxide oxygen carriers for chemical-looping conversion of methane," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 644-657.
    8. Wang, Zhentong & Li, Huan & Liu, Jianguo, 2024. "The process optimization and exergy efficiency analysis for biogas to renewable hydrogen by chemical looping technology," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    9. Situmorang, Yohanes Andre & Zhao, Zhongkai & An, Ping & Yu, Tao & Rizkiana, Jenny & Abudula, Abuliti & Guan, Guoqing, 2020. "A novel system of biomass-based hydrogen production by combining steam bio-oil reforming and chemical looping process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    10. Hosseinzadeh, Ahmad & Zhou, John L. & Li, Xiaowei & Afsari, Morteza & Altaee, Ali, 2022. "Techno-economic and environmental impact assessment of hydrogen production processes using bio-waste as renewable energy resource," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    11. Ke Zhang & Xingwei Wang, 2021. "Pollution Haven Hypothesis of Global CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x —Evidence from 43 Economies and 56 Sectors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-27, June.
    12. Bhattarai, Ashish & Kafle, Sagar & Sakhakarmy, Manish & Moogi, Surendar & Adhikari, Sushil, 2024. "Fluidized-bed gasification kinetics model development using genetic algorithm for biomass, coal, municipal plastic waste, and their blends," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    13. Li, Yilin & Chen, Bin & Li, Chaohui & Li, Zhi & Chen, Guoqian, 2020. "Energy perspective of Sino-US trade imbalance in global supply chains," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. Iqbal, Sajid & Zhang, Qingyu & Chang, Ming, 2025. "Turning waste to watts: studying tyre pyrolysis oil production supply for electricity generation and net-zero carbon emission with life cycle assessment approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    15. José Juan Alvarado Flores & Jorge Víctor Alcaraz Vera & María Liliana Ávalos Rodríguez & Luis Bernardo López Sosa & José Guadalupe Rutiaga Quiñones & Luís Fernando Pintor Ibarra & Francisco Márquez Mo, 2022. "Analysis of Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters Based on Various Mathematical Models for More than Twenty Different Biomasses: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    16. Ramos, Ana & Monteiro, Eliseu & Rouboa, Abel, 2019. "Numerical approaches and comprehensive models for gasification process: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 188-206.
    17. S. Safari & Farbod Esmaeilion & A. Rabanian & D. H. Jamali & S. Negi & S. Hoseinzadeh & F. Sayedin & S. S. Bhoglla & M. El. Haj Assad & B. Das & M. A. Ehyaei & A. Ahmadi & M. Soltani & Hamed Afshari, 2025. "Sustainable hydrogen production through water splitting: a comprehensive review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 17887-17926, August.
    18. Khan, Mohd Atiqueuzzaman & Ngo, Huu Hao & Guo, Wenshan & Liu, Yiwen & Zhang, Xinbo & Guo, Jianbo & Chang, Soon Woong & Nguyen, Dinh Duc & Wang, Jie, 2018. "Biohydrogen production from anaerobic digestion and its potential as renewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PB), pages 754-768.
    19. Elhambakhsh, Abbas & Van Duc Long, Nguyen & Lamichhane, Pradeep & Hessel, Volker, 2023. "Recent progress and future directions in plasma-assisted biomass conversion to hydrogen," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    20. Yang, Wei-Wei & Tang, Xin-Yuan & Ma, Xu & Li, Jia-Chen & Xu, Chao & He, Ya-Ling, 2023. "Rapid prediction, optimization and design of solar membrane reactor by data-driven surrogate model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:329:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225023229. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.