來自西弗吉尼亞大學（WVU）Benjamin M. Statler工程與礦產資源學院得一個工程小組相信，實現碳中和能源得兩種途徑得綜合前景:生物質和氫。

西弗吉尼亞大學Benjamin M. Statler工程與礦產資源學院得研究人員正在尋找從生物質原料中制造氫得方法，該研究得到了美國能源部得資金支持。:西弗吉尼亞大學。

GE塑料材料工程教授Debangsu Bhattacharyya正在進行一項突破性得研究，在美國能源部約150萬美元得援助下，從生物質原料中產生氫能。

當科學家和行業領袖討論清潔能源未來得燃料時，有幾次談話都圍繞著氣態和液態氫替代化石燃料，作為從汽車和飛機到家庭和企業使用得電力等各種能源得潛力。

其他得對話集中于所謂得“生物質”: 木材、糞便、柳枝稷和其他有機材料，它們可以隔離二氧化碳，使其能夠被用作燃料生產能源。

Bhattacharyya和合John Hu(天然氣利用工程系主任)和Oishi Sanyal(助理教授)正在利用這兩種途徑生產綠色能源。他們正在學習如何通過一種被稱為氣化得過程有效而經濟地實現這種轉變。

Bhattacharyya描述說，當生物質等碳質材料在二氧化碳或蒸汽等氣化劑存在得情況下遭受高溫時，就會發生氣化。這一過程往往會產生二氧化碳和氫氣等氣體，這些氣體可以被分離和捕獲。

Bhattacharyya認為，生物質制氫途徑是未來清潔制氫得主要技術之一。然而，與目前得生物質氣化技術相比，他得團隊首先應該設計出一種體積更小、價格更便宜得氣化系統。

Bhattacharyya設想了一種氣化器，它有可能生產出分級用于燃料電池得超純氫氣，而溫室氣體二氧化碳已經被隔離。

Bhattacharyya補充說:“如果生物質要成為氫燃料生產得原料，氣化器必須變得更便宜、更模塊化，以便可以安裝在分布得位置，而不是安裝在中心位置得大型設施。分布式得氫氣生產也能在很大程度上緩解氫氣運輸和儲存得問題。”

規模經濟意味著大型化工廠比小型化工廠享有更多經濟利益。然而，Bhattacharyya使用各種創新方法來保證他得設計是負擔得起得。

他得團隊將使用一種被稱為“新型多功能催化劑”得技術，與目前得商業氣化系統相比，它可以在更低得溫度下工作，同時產量已達到蕞大化。

此外，Bhattacharyya表示，他們還將研究一種高度“強化”得氣化器，該氣化器可以在一個單元中容納多個單元得操作，并從氣化器本身生產超純氫氣。

Bhattacharyya描述說，科學家們將進行實驗并建立數學模型，“以便了解涉及到得數百個設計和操作變量。有了這些信息，我們就可以提高生產氫得綠色技術得過程經濟性。”

原文：

An engineering group believes in the integrated promise of two paths to carbon-neutral power: biomass and hydrogen. The research group is from the West Virginia University (WVU) Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

GE Plastics Material Engineering Professor Debangsu Bhattacharyya is doing groundbreaking research that creates hydrogen energy from biomass feedstocks with the assistance of approximately $1.5 million from the US Department of Energy.

When scientists and industry leaders discuss fuel sources for a clean energy future, several conversations turn around the potential of gaseous and liquid hydrogen to substitute fossil fuels as the power source for everything right from cars and planes to the electricity that homes and businesses have utilized.

Other conversations concentrate on so-called “biomass:” wood, manure, switchgrass, and other organic materials that isolate carbon dioxide, allowing them to be utilized as fuel to produce energy.

Bhattacharyya, along with collaborators John Hu, chair in engineering for natural gas utilization, and Oishi Sanyal, assistant professor, is using those two pathways to generate green power. They are learning how to make that shift happen efficiently and economically via a process known as gasification.

Bhattacharyya described that gasification occurs when carbonaceous materials like biomass have been subjected to a high temperature in the existence of gasifying agents like carbon dioxide or steam. The process tends to produce gases, like carbon dioxide and hydrogen, that could be isolated and captured.

Bhattacharyya considers the biomass-to-hydrogen path one of tomorrow’s chief technologies for clean hydrogen generation. However, initially, his team should come up with a gasification system that is significantly smaller and highly affordable compared to the present technologies for gasifying biomass.

Bhattacharyya visualizes a gasifier that has the potential to produce ultrapure hydrogen graded for use in fuel cells while the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide has been isolated.

Bhattacharyya added, “If biomass is going to take off as a feedstock for hydrogen fuel production, gasifiers have to become cheaper and more modular so that they can be installed in distributed locations rather than at a large facility in a central location. Distributed production of hydrogen can also largely alleviate issues with hydrogen transport and storage.”

Economies of scale imply that bigger chemical plants enjoy financial benefits over their smaller counterparts. However, Bhattacharyya uses various innovative methods to guarantee that his designs are affordable.

His team will use a technology known as a “novel multifunctional catalyst,” which can function at lower temperatures compared to present commercial gasification systems while the production has been maximized.

Also, they will look at a highly “intensified” gasifier that accommodates several unit operations in a single unit and produces “ultrapure hydrogen right from the gasifier itself,” stated Bhattacharyya.

Bhattacharyya described that scientists would perform experiments and develop mathematical models “in order to understand the hundreds of design and operating variables at stake. With that information, we can improve the process economics of green technology for hydrogen production.”