Analysis of Exergy Flow and CCUS Carbon Reduction Potential in Coal Gasification Hydrogen Production Technology in China

Lixing Zheng (), Xuhui Jiang, Song Wang, Jiajun He, Yuhao Wang, Linbin Hu, Kaiji Xie () and Peng Wang
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Lixing Zheng: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Xuhui Jiang: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Song Wang: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Jiajun He: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Yuhao Wang: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Linbin Hu: PowerChina Chongqing Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Kaiji Xie: Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400713, China
Peng Wang: Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-13

Abstract: Coal constitutes China’s most significant resource endowment at present. Utilizing coal resources for hydrogen production represents an early-stage pathway for China’s hydrogen production industry. The analysis of energy quality and carbon emissions in coal gasification-based hydrogen production holds practical significance. This paper integrates the exergy analysis methodology into the traditional LCA framework to evaluate the exergy and carbon emission scales of coal gasification-based hydrogen production in China, considering the technical conditions of CCUS. This paper found that the life cycle exergic efficiency of the whole chain of gasification-based hydrogen production in China is accounted to be 38.8%. By analyzing the causes of exergic loss and energy varieties, it was found that the temperature difference between the reaction of coal gasification and CO conversion unit and the pressure difference due to the compressor driven by the electricity consumption of the compression process in the variable pressure adsorption unit are the main causes of exergic loss. Corresponding countermeasures were suggested. Regarding decarbonization strategies, the CCUS process can reduce CO 2 emissions across the life cycle of coal gasification-based hydrogen production by 48%. This study provides an academic basis for medium-to-long-term forecasting and roadmap design of China’s hydrogen production structure.

Keywords: life cycle analysis (LCA); gasification-based hydrogen production; exergic efficiency; carbon capture; utilization; and storage (CCUS) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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