Hydrogen production from molten metal gasification

As fossil fuel reserves are depleted, more innovative technologies are needed to facilitate fuel production, such as molten media gasification. This technique uses a liquid metal bath in a two-stage process: Stage 1) superheated steam is injected into the melt, with metal oxides formed, and H₂ released; Stage 2) carbon is injected, the oxide is reduced, and CO and CO₂ are released. The main study objective was to develop and test the first stage of this process. The results showed that hydrogen production peaked 100 s into the test, and then levelled off, with a maximum output of 13.6% hydrogen. XRD analysis of the metal samples showed that no tin oxides or magnetite were formed during the process, only a form of wustite (FeO). The syngas produced was very clean, and would need little gas cleaning for use as a feedstock in industrial processes or fuel cells.