Research

This project develops a technology to separate hydrogen from hydrogen-natural gas blends.

One of the primary goals of the Future Fuels CRC is to investigate the introduction of hydrogen into the natural gas pipeline and its impact. Scenarios may occur in which is it necessary to separate or partially separate hydrogen from the natural gas/hydrogen mixture in cases where the end user may wish to use a higher concentration of natural gas (or perhaps can tolerate more hydrogen) or where a pipeline operator may wish to change the blend locally. Having a scalable, flexible CH₄/H₂ separation technology would be highly advantageous. It allows for an increase in the range of equipment and appliances which can use a hydrogen-methane stream of variable concentration.

Update 22 August 2024 – Public webinar on Novel Separation

Gang Kevin Li associate professor at the University of Melbourne and principal investigator of its Clean Energy Laboratory, discussed insights into the challenges of gas separation and their novel process to deliver higher separation efficiency and low operational costs.

The webinar featured research from Future Fuels CRC’s project RP1.3-02 and include a brief introduction to separation technologies and the research opportunities to further enable this part of the future fuels sector.

Download the presentation (pdf)

• Appropriate adsorbents for H2/CH4 separation technology

• Development of novel process cycles to conduct the separation 
• Development of a technology allowing the following to be accomplished: 
  • Increase the range of devices and produces which can use a H2/CH4 stream of variable concentration;  
  • Increase the flexibility and adaptability of the existing network to receive a range of H2/CH4 concentration.  
  • Decrease the risk that a H2/CH4 mixture will become inoperable if H2/CH4 limits are exceeded.   

Jeremy Harris

Research and Innovation Manager

jeremy.harris@futurefuelscrc.com