Techno‐Economic Evaluation of Photocatalytic H₂S Splitting

Abstract

The removal of the noxious H2S from natural gas remains a challenging task in the oil and gas industry. Different H2S splitting technologies are proposed and investigated based on the techno‐economic analysis. Herein, the photocatalysis route for H2S splitting represents a potential technology that is not yet fully analyzed. The present study reports a techno‐economic analysis of hydrogen production from H2S via photocatalysis. Guided by the previous experimental result on H2S splitting, Aspen Plus software is used to design and simulate the proposed plant. An economic analysis is performed with CapCost software to estimate the plant capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) and the cost of hydrogen production. At 0.485 t H2 per h, the process CAPEX is about 105 M$, and OPEX is 143 M$ per year. At a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) production of 1860 $ per t H2, the proposed plant will be able to break even at the end of the plant life. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the process OPEX and price of hydrogen are strongly dependent on the cost of aqueous NaOH. These findings are potentially useful for oil and gas industries looking to incorporate an emerging technology like the presented one in refineries.

Desorption Strategies and Reusability of Biopolymeric Adsorbents and Semisynthetic Derivatives in Hydrogel and Hydrogel Composites Used in Adsorption Processes

“…The cost per tonne of two of the most widely used agents, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, can be around the hundreds of dollars, whereas the most used photocatalyst, titanium dioxide, can reach prices up to a few thousands of dollars per tonne . Apart from the photocatalyst, the reactor design, the light intensity, and the irradiation times influence greatly the total cost of the photocatalytic process at a laboratory scale. , Additionally, the set ups may require auxiliary equipment for continuous monitoring, maintenance and recalibration of the light source, since the performance of the photoreactor may be affected by irregular light emission of lamps . Therefore, careful economical analysis of these factors must be done before scaling-up.…”

“…154 Apart from the photocatalyst, the reactor design, the light intensity, and the irradiation times influence greatly the total cost of the photocatalytic process at a laboratory scale. 155,156 Additionally, the set ups may require auxiliary equipment for continuous monitoring, maintenance and recalibration of the light source, since the performance of the photoreactor may be affected by irregular light emission of lamps. 157 Therefore, careful economical analysis of these factors must be done before scaling-up.…”

Solar‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution from Value‐Added Waste Treatment

“…Techno‐economic evaluation of a pilot plant for PHE coupled with H 2 S treatment has also been proposed by Palmisano et al. [ 274 ] It is estimated that the lifespan of the corresponding photocatalyst should be longer than 10 years and hydrogen production rate should be higher than 8.33 mol g −1 h −1 to make profits (with the price of H 2 1.86 $ kg −1 ) before the end of project period (25 years). Considering the current PHE efficiency and photocatalysts stability, there is still a long way to reach such economic balance.…”