Ideas Based Synthesis of Fossil Fueled Power Generation/Hydrogen Production Flowsheets with No Carbon Dioxide Emissions

In this work, the Infinite-DimEnsionAl State-space (IDEAS) conceptual framework is employed as a process synthesis activity in the formulation of a flowsheet that utilizes natural gas, carbon, and coal combinations to co-produce hydrogen and formic acid, without any carbon dioxide emissions. IDEAS formulations result in a linear program that allows for a broad search of the state-space in order to identify intensified flowsheets. Employing combustion, steam methane reforming (SMR), pressure swing adsorption, and formic acid production from CO2 and H2, a carbon dioxide emission free flowsheet can be synthesized. Thermodynamic analysis, heat and power integration studies, and operating costs/revenue studies are all presented to determine the design’s operating revenue to cost ratio.