Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of the conversion of natural gas and biomass to hydrogen and performance carbons

This thesis presents an in-depth analysis of the importance of producing hydrogen through alternative pathways such as methane pyrolysis and biomass gasification, alongside the production of high-performance carbon materials to lower overall costs. It underscores the urgent need to transition away from Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) for industrial hydrogen production due to the direct carbon dioxide emissions associated with SMR. To address these challenges, this research includes a comprehensive techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of pyrolysis and gasification processes and their integration within a biorefinery. The study also examines the impact of torrefaction as a pretreatment step before gasification to understand potential changes in process efficiency. Additionally, it explores the industrial potential for producing high-value carbon fibers and the necessary post-processing treatment steps for these materials. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to study the impact of the factors on the MFSP of hydrogen. The results indicate that the standalone methane pyrolysis process achieves the lowest minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) for hydrogen production, while the gasification process incurs the highest production costs. The integrated processes are economically feasible if carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are sold for $2.5/kg or higher. Additionally, the LCA findings reveal that integrating these processes has significant potential for atmospheric carbon removal, particularly if the traditional carbon fiber production methods are replaced with the approach proposed in this study.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

Iowa State University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Haidary, Farhan Mashuk

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Mba-Wright, Mark
• Tessonnier, Jean Philippe
• Bai, Xianglan

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/td-20251215-167

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/kv7kRGjv