Hydrogenious Technologie and MAN Diesel & Turbo partner to develop LOHC hydrogenation reactors
25 January 2017
Hydrogenious Technologies GmbH and MAN Diesel & Turbo SE—which, in addition to being a leading provider of large-bore diesels and turbomachinery for marine and stationary applications, is also a specialist for salt-bed reactors for chemical industry—recently closed an agreement for joint development of industrial-scale Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) hydrogenation reactors.
LOHC technology enables the safe and efficient storage of hydrogen through molecular binding; Hydrogenious thus builds systems to bind hydrogen chemically to a carrier liquid—specifically, dibenzyltoluene. This enables efficient transport and storage of large amounts of hydrogen at ambient conditions. Following the commissioning of first container-based pilot systems by Hydrogenious Technologies, this joint development now aims at a stepwise scaling of hydrogenation systems to the multi-ton per day scale of today’s hydrogen sources.
Combined with its smaller hydrogen release systems (ReleaseBOXes), the scale-up aims at significantly reducing the cost of hydrogen delivery and supporting the breakthrough of hydrogen mobility. The Hydrogenious ReleaseBOXes offer hydrogen output ranging from 5 Nm3/h to 100 Nm3/h. Storage capacity is 57 kg H2/m3 LOHC.
MDT Diesel & Turbo is a leading manufacturer of reactor systems and components for the chemical and petro-chemical industry and has, with its proprietary salt-bed reactor technology, a broad experience in development, engineering and manufacturing of large scale reactor systems. Hydrogenious Technologies, as a pioneer of the commercial LOHC technology, brings the necessary process know-how as well as a comprehensive understanding of the overall system requirements into the cooperation.
This cooperation lays the basis for the build-up of industrial scale hydrogenation units, which will lower the costs for hydrogen delivery to industry and mobility applications significantly. We are very happy to have gained such a strong and reputable partner like MAN Diesel & Turbo for this cooperation.
—Hydrogenious Technologies’ CEO Dr. Daniel Teichmann
Assuming that the LOHC weighs the same as water, that comes out to an energy density by weight of 5.7%, pretty darn good and just fine for storage in any quantities you like.
It is even coming up into the ballpark of workable for on board storage, although how cumbersome the equipment is to release it is not clear from this.
Another barrier to a hydrogen economy rich in renewables may be addressed in this.
I'd still like to see a large roll out of nuclear reactors, which would reduce the need, but having options is never a bad thing.
Posted by: Davemart | 25 January 2017 at 01:21 AM
Ammonia has a specific energy that is 40% of diesel or kerosine. See http://www.spg-corp.com/clean-energy-power-generation.html
Posted by: GdB | 06 February 2017 at 11:10 AM