Water Gas Shift Reaction -

The water gas shift (WGS) reaction or shift reaction is a common intermediate step to all hydrogen producing processes from carbonaceous feeds. For example, when coal is gasified on route to producing hydrogen, a large amount of carbon monoxide is formed as an intermediate. To maximize hydrogen production, the shift reaction must be employed.

Hy9 has developed and commercialized a water gas shift membrane reactor similar in many ways to the steam reforming membrane reactor just described. The shift reactor contains a different catalyst than the steam reformer, but otherwise it utilizes the same core technologies of diffusion bonding and thin membranes.

Because carbon monoxide is not a readily available fuel, membrane shift reactors are not standalone hydrogen producing devices but rather require linkage to a CO-generator such as a coal (or other solid fuel) gasifier or other hydrocarbon reaction processes such as partial oxidation of heavy oil, diesel fuel, propane, gasoline, or natural gas.