Thermomechanical Methane Pyrolysis for Production of Hydrogen with Solid Carbon

Today, 75% of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from CO2 produced by the energy and chemical sectors. In Canada, extreme temperatures and a dispersed population cause the figure to be over 80%. New solutions that are either CO2-free or CO2-negative are urgently needed. The approach in this project is to produce solid carbon (C) instead of CO2, where the carbon can be sequestered into the ground or cement instead of being released into the atmosphere. The solution pursued in this project will to decarbonize natural gas through methane pyrolysis. Much is still unknown about the ability of a catalyst to be regenerated by high-temperature mechanical methods. This project will focus on continuously producing hydrogen and lower-value carbon which can be cleanly separated by continuous mechanical means.

Faculty Supervisor:

David Chester Upham

Student:

Hassnain Abbas Khan

Partner:

Strategic Reservoir Solutions Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of British Columbia