Coupling system of calcium looping thermal energy storage and adsorption-enhanced hydrogen production

Abstract

CaL(Calcium Looping)-based Sorption-Enhanced Steam Methane Reforming (SE-SMR) is an essential method for achieving low-carbon hydrogen production. However, existing in-situ reactors struggle to produce H₂ continuously over long periods. This study proposes an innovative quasi-in-situ SE-SMR reactor based on CaL and develops a multi-physical field model with multiple reaction couplings. The study elucidates the mechanisms of heat and mass transfer, as well as reaction enhancement, and identifies the key parameters influencing the hydrogen production process in this reactor. During the pre-breakthrough phase, stored heat drives the reforming reaction, sustaining an average H₂ purity of 95.62% and a high carbon capture rate. A hydrogen yield of 3.61 demonstrates efficient methane reforming and conversion. Under the pre-breakthrough replacement strategy, the reactor performance stabilizes after the second replacement and generally maintains the high-performance level of the pre-breakthrough phase. Additionally, the heat storage properties of CaL help to reduce the heat demand of the reactor, enhancing system stability under fluctuating heat source conditions. These findings highlight the crucial role of the heat-mass coupling relationship in CaL in enhancing the hydrogen production process, offering valuable insights for developing long-term, high-performance hydrogen production solutions in solar-powered systems.