Integrated hydrogen production process

摘要

The present invention provides an integrated process for producing a fermentation product from fossil carbon and hydrogen present in a purge gas stream resulting from a hydrogen production process. According to one embodiment of the invention, a purge gas stream obtained from a hydrogen production process is fermented with microorganisms in one or more bioreactors to produce the fermentation product. A fermentation exhaust gas stream from the one or more bioreactors comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or methane is then obtained and heat is generated therefrom to provide energy for the hydrogen production process.

主权项

1. An integrated hydrogen production process comprising:
(i) providing a purge gas stream obtained from a process comprising the steps of:
(a) converting methane to carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reforming in a reforming unit;(b) converting at least a portion of the carbon monoxide by a water-gas shift reaction to carbon dioxide, thereby producing a stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen; and(c) separating at least a portion of the hydrogen from the stream of step (b) from non-hydrogen components to produce a stream enriched in hydrogen and a purge gas stream comprising hydrogen and at least one of carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide; (ii) fermenting the purge gas stream, or a portion thereof, with microorganisms in one or more bioreactors to produce a fermentation product; (iii) providing a fermentation exhaust gas stream from the one or more bioreactors, said fermentation exhaust gas stream comprising one or more combustible gases; (iv) generating heat from the fermentation exhaust gas stream and using the heat to provide energy for the reforming unit; and (v) recovering the fermentation product.