Enhancement effect of zero-valent iron nanoparticle and iron oxide nanoparticles on dark fermentative hydrogen production from molasses-based distillery wastewater

This study investigates the effect of two different iron compounds (zero-valent iron nanoparticle: nZVI and iron oxide nanoparticles: nIO) and pH on fermentative biohydrogen production from molasses-based distillery wastewater. The nZVI and nIO of optimum particle sizes of 50 nm and 55 nm respectively were synthesized and applied for fermentative hydrogen (H₂) production. The addition of nIO & nZVI at (0.7 g/L, pH: 6) resulted in the highest H₂ yield, H₂ production rate, H₂ content and COD reduction. Moreover, the kinetic parameters of H₂ production potential (P) and H₂ production rate (R_m) increased to 387 mL, and 22.2 mL/h, respectively for nZVI, these values were 363 mL and 21.8 mL/h for nIO. The results obtained indicated the positive effect of nZVI and nIO addition on enhanced fermentative H₂ production. The addition of nZVI & nIO resulted in 71% and 69.4% enhancement in biohydrogen production respectively.     

Molecular dynamic investigation on sulfur migration during hydrogen production by benzothiophene gasification in supercritical water

Benzothiophene (BT) is a key sulfur-containing intermediate product in the thermal conversion process of coal and heavy oil. The migration process of the sulfur element may affect the thermal utilization design of BT. In this paper, BT was used as a model compound to simulate the supercritical water gasification (SCWG) process by molecular dynamics with a reactive force field (ReaxFF) method, and the laws of hydrogen production and sulfur migration mechanisms were obtained. Increasing the molecule number of supercritical water (SCW) and increasing the reaction temperature can enhance the generation of hydrogen and promote the conversion of organic sulfur to inorganic sulfur. Water was the main source of H₂, and H₂S was the main gaseous sulfur-containing product. SCW had a certain degree of oxidation due to a large number of hydroxyl radicals, which could increase the valence of sulfur. The conversion process of BT in SCW was mainly divided into four stages, including thiophene ring-opening; sulfur separation or carbon chain broke with sulfur retention; carbon chain cleaved, and gas generation. The lumped kinetic parameters of the conversion of sulfur in BT to inorganic sulfur were calculated, and the activation energy was 369.98 kJ/mol, which was much lower than those under pyrolysis conditions. This article aims to clarify the synergistic characteristics of hydrogen production and sulfur migration in the SCWG process of BT from the molecular perspective, which is expected to provide a theoretical basis for pollutant directional removal during hydrogen production by sulfur-containing organic matters in SCW.     

Comparative techno-economic assessment of a large-scale hydrogen transport via liquid transport media

A large-scale point to point hydrogen transport is one strategy for a prospective energy import scenario for certain countries. The case for a hydrogen transport from Australia to Japan has been addressed in several studies. However, most studies lack transparency and detailed insights into the made assumptions thus a fair evaluation of different transport pathways is challenging. To address this issue, we developed a model where a large-scale point to point hydrogen transport of liquid hydrogen is compared with the transport via liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), namely via methyl cyclohexane and hydrogenated dibenzyl toluene. We analyzed, where energy is required along the different pathways, where hydrogen losses do occur and how the costs are put together. Furthermore, the influence of hydrogen feed costs is also considered. For hydrogen production costs of 5 €₂₀₁₈/kg_H2 the total delivery costs are in the range of 6.40– 8.10 €₂₀₁₈/kg_H2.     

Hydrogen wettability of clays: Implications for underground hydrogen storage

This study investigates the ability of hydrogen (H₂) to wet clay surfaces in the presence of brine, with implications for underground hydrogen storage in clay-containing reservoirs. Rather than measuring contact angles directly with hydrogen gas, a suite of other gases (carbon dioxide (CO₂), argon (Ar), nitrogen (N₂), and helium (He)) were employed in the gas-brine-clay system under storage conditions (moderate temperature (333 K) and high pressures (5, 10, 15, and 20 MPa)), characteristic of a subsurface environment with a shallow geothermal gradient. By virtue of analogies to H₂ and empirical correlations, wettabilities of hydrogen on three clay surfaces were mathematically derived and interpreted. The three clays were kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite and represent 1:1, 2:1 non-expansive, and 2:1 expansive clay groups, respectively. All clays showed water-wetting behaviour with contact angles below 40° under all experimental set-ups. It follows that the presence of clays in the reservoir (or caprock) is conducive to capillary and/or residual trapping of the gas. Another positive inference is that any tested gas, particularly nitrogen, is suitable as cushion gas to maintain formation pressure during hydrogen storage because they all turned out to be more gas-wetting than hydrogen on the clay surfaces; this allows easier displacement and/or retrieval of hydrogen during injection/production. One downside of the predominant water wettability of the clays is the upstaged role of biogeochemical reactions at the wetted brine-clay/silicate interface and their potential to affect porosity and permeability. Water-wetting decreased from kaolinite as most water-wetting clay over illite to montmorillonite as most hydrogen-wetting clay. Their wetting behaviour is consistent with molecular dynamic modelling that establishes that the accessible basal plane of kaolinite's octahedral sheet is highly hydrophilic and enables strong hydrogen bonds whereas the same octahedral sheet in illite and montmorillonite is not accessible to the brine, rendering these clays less water-wetting.     

Enhanced hydrogen production through alkaline electrolysis using laser-nanostructured nickel electrodes

This study describes the fabrication of ultrafast laser-induced periodic nanostructures on Nickel sheets and their use as cathodes in alkaline electrolysis. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, laser-nanostructured Ni sheets were used as cathode electrodes in a custom-made electrolysis cell at actual, Hydrogen producing conditions, and their efficiency has been compared to the untreated Nickel sheets. The electrochemical evaluation showed higher J_peaks, lower overpotential, and enhanced double-layer capacitance for the nanostructured electrode. A decrease in the Tafel slope was also found for the nanostructured electrode. The hydrogen production efficiency was found to be 3.7 times larger for the laser-nanostructured Nickel electrode, which was also confirmed by current-time measurements during electrolysis. Also, a novel approach is proposed to improve the stability of the current density during electrolysis and, therefore, the hydrogen production process by about 10%.     

Simulation and exploration of cavitation process during microalgae oil extracting with ultrasonic-assisted for hydrogen production

Microalgae is promising to be used as feedstock resources for hydrogen production due to its high oil and grease contents. This promotes the development of extraction technology of microalgae oil. In this study, based on the Rayleigh-Plesset equation, the effects of temperature, pressure, ultrasonic power and frequency on the bubble motion of ethanol ultrasound cavitation are investigated. Subsequently, the effects of different process parameters on the extraction rate are studied using Schizochytrium sp. as raw material by stirring or ultrasonic-assisted extraction. And the composition of algae extraction oil is analyzed. The results show that the amplitude of cavitation bubbles increases with the increase of ultrasonic power and decrease of ultrasonic frequency. The extraction rate of algae oil reaches 93.76 ± 0.48% when the ultrasonic power is 150 W, the reaction time is 30 min, the temperature is 50 °C and the liquid-solid ratio is 10:1.     

Insights into low-carbon hydrogen production methods: Green,blue and aqua hydrogen

The primary aim of this study is to provide insights into different low-carbon hydrogen production methods. Low-carbon hydrogen includes green hydrogen (hydrogen from renewable electricity), blue hydrogen (hydrogen from fossil fuels with CO₂ emissions reduced by the use of Carbon Capture Use and Storage) and aqua hydrogen (hydrogen from fossil fuels via the new technology). Green hydrogen is an expensive strategy compared to fossil-based hydrogen. Blue hydrogen has some attractive features, but the CCUS technology is high cost and blue hydrogen is not inherently carbon free. Therefore, engineering scientists have been focusing on developing other low-cost and low-carbon hydrogen technology. A new economical technology to extract hydrogen from oil sands (natural bitumen) and oil fields with very low cost and without carbon emissions has been developed and commercialized in Western Canada. Aqua hydrogen is a term we have coined for production of hydrogen from this new hydrogen production technology. Aqua is a color halfway between green and blue and thus represents a form of hydrogen production that does not emit CO₂, like green hydrogen, yet is produced from fossil fuel energy, like blue hydrogen. Unlike CCUS, blue hydrogen, which is clearly compensatory with respect to carbon emissions as it captures, uses and stores produced CO₂, the new production method is transformative in that it does not emit CO₂ in the first place. In order to promote the development of the low-carbon hydrogen economy, the current challenges, future directions and policy recommendations of low-carbon hydrogen production methods including green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, and aqua hydrogen are investigated in the paper.     

Invited review: Freedom from thirst—Do dairy cows and calves have sufficient access to drinking water?

The importance of drinking water for production and animal welfare is widely recognized, but surveys and animal welfare assessment schemes suggest that many dairy calves and dairy cows do not have sufficient access. Limit milk-fed calves drink more water than calves fed milk ad libitum, but ad libitum milk-fed calves also require access to drinking water, as milk does not meet the animal's requirement for water. At hot ambient temperatures and when calves are sick, access to water is especially important and should be provided at all times. Many young calves do not have access to water throughout 24 h, and whether healthy young calves require free access to water at all times, or from which age, is not clear and requires further study. Dairy cow free water intake (FWI) is largely determined by milk yield, and high-yielding dairy cows may drink up 100 L of water per day. Dry matter, crude protein, and salt content of feed, as well as ambient temperature, have considerable effects on dairy cow water intake. Deprivation of water affects meal patterning for the cow, as well as increased subsequent rate of drinking and compensatory water intake. Although dairy cow ad libitum water intake may exceed the water provision necessary to maintain production, offering water for ad libitum intake may be necessary to safe guard animal welfare. Cattle are suction drinkers that prefer to drink from large open water surfaces, and Holstein dairy cows can drink at a rate of up to 24 L/min. Research on the effect of design and placement of water troughs for indoor-housed dairy cows on their drinking behavior and water intake is limited. Access to a water source at pasture increases the time cows spend there, and access to shade reduces water requirements during periods of warm weather. In both indoor and pastured cattle, there is a lack of knowledge about the effect of stocking of water troughs on competition, drinking behavior, and intake in dairy cows. Studies on the effect of available water trough length and placement, and of the number of cows being able to drink from the same trough of a given dimension, are needed to evaluate current recommendations.     

Review and analysis of the hydrogen production technologies from a safety perspective

Hydrogen can be produced via many different technologies; however, from a safety standpoint there exists no framework for selecting the right technology. Here, we provide a structured framework for assessment of the most desirable hydrogen production technology based on efficiency, safety, and infrastructure, by using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and life-cycle index (LInX) approach. We apply this modified MCDM approach to steam methane reforming (SMR), autothermal reforming, partial oxidation, alkaline electrolysis, polymer electrode membrane electrolysis, and solid oxide electrolyzer cell processes. Our results show that SMR is the most desirable technology based on the efficiency, safety, and infrastructure criteria. We employ fuzzy set theory to address subjectivity and uncertainty challenges in the data and found that although the technologies based on electrolysis have an environmental advantage, they exhibit higher uncertainties than non-renewable technologies such as SMR. Overall, this new framework addresses the challenge to find the most desirable and safer technology for hydrogen production.     

Auto-thermal reforming of acetic acid for hydrogen production by ZnxNiyCrOm±δ catalysts: Effect of Cr promoted Ni-Zn intermetallic compound

A series of Zn_xNi_yCrO_m±δ catalysts were synthesized via a typical co-precipitation method, in which Zn-Cr layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were found and Ni-Zn intermetallic compound (IMC) was formed after reduction in hydrogen. During auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of acetic acid (HAc), the Ni-Zn IMC was transformed into Ni/(amorphous-ZnO)-ZnCr₂O₄ species with uniformed distribution and appropriate interaction within these Ni-Zn-Cr-O species; besides, the adsorbed oxygen promoted the activation and transfer of oxygen species; therefore, deactivation by oxidation, sintering and coking was inhibited. And the optimized Zn_2.37Ni_0.63CrO_4.5±δ catalyst presented high activity and stability in a 45-h ATR test with HAc conversion near 100% and hydrogen yield at 2.7 mol-H₂/mol-HAc, showing potential for hydrogen production via ATR of HAc.