Reformer sponge iron cycle
Encyclopedia
The reformer sponge iron cycle (RESC) is a two step cycle to produce hydrogen
from hydrocarbon fuels based on the sponge iron reaction
(SIR) and steam.
in the reformer which is then used to reduce the iron oxide
(magnetite
- Fe3O4) to iron (wüstite
- FeO), in the second step steam is utilized to re-oxidise the iron
into magnetite and hydrogen. The iron oxide pellets
are placed in a pelletbed and have a service life
of several thousand redox
cycles.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
from hydrocarbon fuels based on the sponge iron reaction
Sponge iron reaction
The sponge iron reaction is a chemical process based on redox cycling of an iron-based contact mass, the first cycle is a conversion step between iron metal and wuestite , the second cycle is a conversion step between wuestite and magnetite .-Process description:The process has two modes, a...
(SIR) and steam.
Process description
In the first step the hydrocarbon fuel is reformed to syngasSyngas
Syngas is the name given to a gas mixture that contains varying amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Examples of production methods include steam reforming of natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen, the gasification of coal, biomass, and in some types of waste-to-energy...
in the reformer which is then used to reduce the iron oxide
Iron oxide
Iron oxides are chemical compounds composed of iron and oxygen. All together, there are sixteen known iron oxides and oxyhydroxides.Iron oxides and oxide-hydroxides are widespread in nature, play an important role in many geological and biological processes, and are widely utilized by humans, e.g.,...
(magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
- Fe3O4) to iron (wüstite
Wüstite
Wüstite is a mineral form of iron oxide found with meteorites and native iron. It has a gray color with a greenish tint in reflected light. Wüstite crystallizes in the isometric - hexoctahedral crystal system in opaque to translucent metallic grains. It has a Mohs hardness of 5 to 5.5 and a...
- FeO), in the second step steam is utilized to re-oxidise the iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
into magnetite and hydrogen. The iron oxide pellets
Pelletizing
Pelletizing is the process of compressing or molding a material into the shape of a pellet. A wide range of different materials are pelletized including chemicals, iron ore, animal compound feed, and more.- Pelletizing of iron ore :...
are placed in a pelletbed and have a service life
Service life
A product's service life is its expected lifetime, or the acceptable period of use in service. It is the time that any manufactured item can be expected to be 'serviceable' or supported by its manufacturer....
of several thousand redox
Redox
Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....
cycles.