PSA in Coal Mines

Today one of the most cost effective ways to produce Hydrogen is from coal. Vast Coal resources are offering an economically viable energy resource for commercially producing large quantities of Hydrogen.

There are generally two methods in burning coal. The first is oxy-combustion that uses a combination of coal with pure oxygen. But this process suffers from the weakness of dangerous emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The second, our point of study here the Gasification, process burns coal partially for creating a fuel gas.

Two types of Gasification technology employing Presssure Swing adsorption technology is described here. They are the following:

• Technology using Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration process.
  As illustrated in the Figure this is a process to produce hydrogen that employs a conventional technology utilizing the process of carbon sequestration. Typically the process utilizes a gasification system with a PSA and conventional acid removal system for hydrogen recovery. In this process, the Carbon dioxide is eliminated before the gas is directed to the PSA unit, compressed and is sequestered with some additional cost.
  A diagram showing Hydrogen production from coal with carbon Sequestration employing PSA unit:
  
• Technology using an advanced gasification process
  This advanced technology for production of Hydrogen from coal employs advanced Gasification technology. It is used concurrently with membrane technology for separation of hydrogen, carbon dioxide removal and sequestration. This advanced process is capable of separating and shifting of Hydrogen from clean synthesis gas. Around 90 mole percent of the hydrogen in the synthesis gas can be effectively recovered through this membrane system.
  
  

  Diagram shows the working of the process