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Pure Water is essential for Hydrogen
Pure water (ultrapure water) is essential for the production of hydrogen (H2), a critical fuel for hydrogen fuel cells. Despite its importance, H2 is not readily available in nature, necessitating energy-intensive processes to generate it.
There are two primary methods for producing hydrogen. Firstly, hydrogen gas can be generated through the electrolysis of water:
2 H2O (liquid) + ENERGY –> 2 H2 (gas) + O2(gas)
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), only 5% of hydrogen is produced through electrolysis.
In the USA, 95% of hydrogen is produced by reforming hydrocarbons, with methane reforming being the most cost-effective and most common method:
CH4 (gas) + H2O (gas) + ENERGY –> 3 H2 (gas) + CO (gas)
The carbon monoxide (CO) produced in this process is then converted to hydrogen through the Water-Gas Shift Reaction, a reaction discovered in Italy in 1780:
CO (gas) + H2O (gas)H2 (gas) + CO2 (gas)
To maintain the efficiency of the reforming catalyst and prevent fouling, high-purity water is employed in the process.
This high-purity water is produced using SnowPure’s Reverse Osmosis-Electrodeionization (RO-EDI) technology.
