In April, Nippon Seisen reorganized its Office of Hydrogen Business Development. The company is now developing technologies related to hydrogen taking advantage of the long-cultivated knowhow for the developments of the hydrogen separation membrane module, and the dehydrogenation device of methylcyclohexane (MCH) which draws attention from abroad as an hydrogen carrier as well as the research and technology of metallic materials and processing expertise. Foreseeing the upcoming hydrogen society in 2030, the company is going to make keen efforts from various angles.
The development of hydrogen separation membrane module, above all, was started for commercialization taking the opportunity of participating New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)’s project in 2004.
The module is cylindrical with 40mm external shape made of all metal. It can be used for a large flow rate by combining module units.
There are a lot of enquiries mainly from the users who ask for more high-purity hydrogen to use. Therefore, the company intends to concentrate to expand sales while designing a hydrogen purifying system to meet needs for flow rate.
MCH is one of the organic hydrides which are produced from synthesizing of toluene with hydrogen, and hydrogen is extracted by dehydrogenating reaction. The volume can be reduced to one 500th on the condition of same weight.
It is a hydrocarbon compound in liquid form at ambient temperature and pressure having the feature to enable use of the transport infrastructure like tank trucks for oil or chemical products with the existing facilities as they are.
The company built up a small plant to recover hydrogen using a catalyst-applied wire in its Hirakata plant and has started a demonstrative examination. After improving the recovery efficiency, the company aims at commercialization. .
In addition, the company is making a feasibility study to commercialize small ammonia cracking system to produce hydrogen using ammonia as raw material in collaboration with Toyo Engineering, Chubu Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power Miraiz.
Like the technology of MCH dehydrogenation, it has a system to use a catalyst to generate hydrogen, and the scope of view is being expanded to cope with the needs for hydrogen using ammonia as raw material.