Raoo, S., Bella, Chang, J., Chen, L., Halim, I., & Kawi, S. (2025). Techno-Economic Evaluation of Palladium-Membrane Reactors for Industrial-Scale Methane Pyrolysis. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 64(40), 19614–19623. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02562
Abstract:
This study assesses the techno-economic viability of a palladium-based membrane reactor for catalytic decomposition (pyrolysis) of methane. A process simulation approach is employed to evaluate the reactor’s performance and to design a complete catalytic decomposition plant. The membrane-based process is benchmarked against conventional steam methane reforming (SMR) in terms of the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) production. Results indicate that the membrane reactor process achieves an approximately 5% lower LCOH than SMR, primarily due to reduced capital costs and the elimination of carbon capture and storage (CCS) requirements. Additionally, the recovery and sale of valuable carbon byproducts—such as carbon black—further improve the economic feasibility of the process. From an environmental perspective, the membrane process presents a cleaner alternative by avoiding CO2 emissions and generating solid carbon instead. Overall, the palladium-based membrane reactor demonstrates strong potential as a transitional pathway toward more sustainable hydrogen production.
License type:
Publisher Copyright
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation - Low-Carbon Energy Research (LCER)
Grant Reference no. : U2102d2011