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Electrified Hydrogen Production from Methane for PEM Fuel Cells Feeding: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Eugenio Meloni

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Giuseppina Iervolino

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Concetta Ruocco

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Simona Renda

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Giovanni Festa

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Marco Martino

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Vincenzo Palma

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

Abstract

The greatest challenge of our times is to identify low cost and environmentally friendly alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. From this point of view, the decarbonization of industrial chemical processes is fundamental and the use of hydrogen as an energy vector, usable by fuel cells, is strategic. It is possible to tackle the decarbonization of industrial chemical processes with the electrification of systems. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the latest research on the electrification of endothermic industrial chemical processes aimed at the production of H 2 from methane and its use for energy production through proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). In particular, two main electrification methods are examined, microwave heating (MW) and resistive heating (Joule), aimed at transferring heat directly on the surface of the catalyst. For cases, the catalyst formulation and reactor configuration were analyzed and compared. The key aspects of the use of H 2 through PEM were also analyzed, highlighting the most used catalysts and their performance. With the information contained in this review, we want to give scientists and researchers the opportunity to compare, both in terms of reactor and energy efficiency, the different solutions proposed for the electrification of chemical processes available in the recent literature. In particular, through this review it is possible to identify the solutions that allow a possible scale-up of the electrified chemical process, imagining a distributed production of hydrogen and its consequent use with PEMs. As for PEMs, in the review it is possible to find interesting alternative solutions to platinum with the PGM (Platinum Group Metal) free-based catalysts, proposing the use of Fe or Co for PEM application.

Suggested Citation

  • Eugenio Meloni & Giuseppina Iervolino & Concetta Ruocco & Simona Renda & Giovanni Festa & Marco Martino & Vincenzo Palma, 2022. "Electrified Hydrogen Production from Methane for PEM Fuel Cells Feeding: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-34, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:10:p:3588-:d:815295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tzelepis, Stefanos & Kavadias, Kosmas A. & Marnellos, George E. & Xydis, George, 2021. "A review study on proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrochemical performance focusing on anode and cathode catalyst layer modelling at macroscopic level," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    2. Li, Hong & Zhao, Zhenyu & Xiouras, Christos & Stefanidis, Georgios D. & Li, Xingang & Gao, Xin, 2019. "Fundamentals and applications of microwave heating to chemicals separation processes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Hossein Pourrahmani & Hamed Shakeri & Jan Van herle, 2022. "Thermoelectric Generator as the Waste Heat Recovery Unit of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: A Numerical Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Ji, Zhaoqi & Perez-Page, Maria & Chen, Jianuo & Rodriguez, Romeo Gonzalez & Cai, Rongsheng & Haigh, Sarah J. & Holmes, Stuart M., 2021. "A structured catalyst support combining electrochemically exfoliated graphene oxide and carbon black for enhanced performance and durability in low-temperature hydrogen fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Jinghao & Cui, Xin & Yu, Yihong & Qu, Liu & Liu, Yinglei & Wen, Yujuan & Qin, Gaowu & Li, Song, 2025. "Electrified reforming of methane and carbon dioxide over structured Ni/MgO-CeO2/FeCrAl wire catalyst," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    2. Labanca, A.R.C. & Cunha, A.G. & Ribeiro, R.P. & Zucolotto, C.G. & Cevolani, M.B. & Schettino, M.A., 2022. "Technological solution for distributing vehicular hydrogen using dry plasma reforming of natural gas and biogas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P2), pages 11-21.
    3. Eugenio Meloni & Marco Martino & Mariaconcetta Pierro & Pluton Pullumbi & Federico Brandani & Vincenzo Palma, 2022. "MW-Assisted Regeneration of 13X Zeolites after N 2 O Adsorption from Concentrated Streams: A Process Intensification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Ukwuoma, Chiagoziem C. & Cai, Dongsheng & Bamisile, Olusola & Bizi, Antonio M. & Amos, Toluwani Joan & Delali, Fiasam Linda & Thomas, Dara & Huang, Qi, 2025. "Hydrogen production prediction from Co-gasification of biomass and plastics using attention-gated MLP model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    5. Nadaleti, Willian Cézar & Cardozo, Emanuélle & Bittencourt Machado, Jones & Maximilla Pereira, Peterson & Costa dos Santos, Maele & Gomes de Souza, Eduarda & Haertel, Paula & Kunde Correa, Erico & Vie, 2023. "Hydrogen and electricity potential generation from rice husks and persiculture biomass in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    6. Manfred Dollinger & Gerhard Fischerauer, 2023. "Physics-Based Prediction for the Consumption and Emissions of Passenger Vehicles and Light Trucks up to 2050," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-29, April.
    7. Eugenio Meloni, 2022. "Electrification of Chemical Engineering: A New Way to Intensify Chemical Processes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-3, July.

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