Preliminary study of synthesis gas production from water electrolysis, using the ELECTROFUEL® concept

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 89; pp. 1050 - 1056
• Main Authors: Guerra, L., Gomes, J., Puna, J., Rodrigues, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2015
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Carbon; Electrodes; Electrofuel; Electrolysis; Methanol; Methyl alcohol; Mountains; Product innovation; Renewable energy; Syngas; Synthesis gas; Water electrolysis; Water electrolysis; Electrofuel; Renewable energy; Syngas; Methanol
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.06.048

This paper describes preliminary work on the generation of synthesis gas from water electrolysis using graphite electrodes without the separation of the generated gases. This is an innovative process, that has no similar work been done earlier. Preliminary tests allowed to establish correlations between the applied current to the electrolyser and flow rate and composition of the generated syngas, as well as a characterisation of generated carbon nanoparticles. The obtained syngas can further be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels, for example, methane, methanol or DME (dimethyl ether) in a catalytic reactor, in further stages of a present ongoing project, using the ELECTROFUEL® concept. The main competitive advantage of this project lies in the built-in of an innovative technology product, from RE (renewable energy) power in remote locations, for example, islands, villages in mountains as an alternative for energy storage for mobility constraints.
•Generation of synthesis gas from water electrolysis without separation of gases.•Obtained syngas: 7.7% CO; 10.3% O2 and 2.0% CO2.•Syngas can further be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels.