Volume 3: Innovative Solutions for Energy Transitions: Part II

Temperature Cascade LOHC Dehydrogenation as a Process Intensification Strategy Boris Brigljević, Boreum Lee, Rofice Dickson, Jay Liu, Sanggyu Kang, Hankwon Lim

Abstract

Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) have taken a spotlight as a possible alternative for hydrogen (H2) storage and transportation compared to more conventional methods such as pressurized H2 and liquified H2. In an increasingly alternative energy supply, efficiency of commercial scale H2 release from LOHC systems is paramount for a viable H2 economy. This work presents a process design for a novel process intensification strategy which combines two conventional LOHC chemicals (benzene and dibenzyl toluene) in a dehydrogenation process utilizing a shared heat source. Using rigorous Aspen Plus process simulation it has been demonstrated that this process design allows for an increased hydrogen release yield of 18.7 %, when compared to systems which utilizes a single LOHC chemical. Strategy of temperature cascade dehydrogenation using different LOHC combinations, coupled with identification of process integration viability, specifically in utilization of waste heat can very likely prove to be an important pathway to a more efficient hydrogen economy.

Keywords LOHC, hydrogen storage, process intensification, temperature cascade, process design, Aspen Plus