Laboratory for the Electrification of Chemical Processes & Hydrogen(ElectrifHy)

General expertise of the research group

At ElectrifHy, we work on the development of electrified chemical reactors, adsorbers, etc. (Power-to-Heat via resistive and induction heating, and the use of electric fields), as well as on (electrified) hydrogen storage and production. Our scope includes the design, simulation (including CFD code development for multiphase turbulent reacting slows), prototyping, experimental characterization and scale-up of intensified reactors. We have a lot of experience in fluidization, counting on various reactors (from 3 to 10 cm ID), including a pre-pilot electrothermal fluidized bed reactors available for tests. Located in the Blue App building, we can also count on world class laboratories, including a 3 story high pilot hall.

Specific hydrogen- related expertise & research topics

• Design of electrically-assisted chemical carriers (e.g., ammonia) cracking reactors
• Design of dehydrogenation units for liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC)
• Test rig for LOHC (up to 250 lpm)
• Design of dense Pd-Ag supported membranes for H2 removal from reactors
• Pre-pilot electrothermal fluidized bed designed for the pyrolysis of methane into H2
• Design, simulation, and experimental validation of e-reactors
• Coke-resistant catalysts for biogas (CH4 and CO2) to syngas applications

Available equipment/tools

• D10 cm ID electrothermal fluidized bed coupled to an online RGA GC
• Up to 250 lpm LOHC test rig
• Various inductively- and resistively-heated reactors fully instrumented
• Various inductively- and resistively-heated fluidized bed reactors (up to 100 bar), fully instrumented, including highly sensitive pressure transducers for indirect reactor diagnostic
• Various Sieverts (volumetric) apparatus for the characterization of adsorbents, using highly sensitive pressure transducers, coupled to -50-200 °C cryostats
• Simulated moving bed (SMB) with inductively-heated thermal swing section for adsorption processes
• Quadrupole mass spectrometer for transient gas analysis
• Refinery gas GC analyzer for steady state gas analysis
• Particle image velocimetry system (LED and laser) for non-intrusive fluid flow characterization

International collaborations

• Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, Germany
• Various spin-offs in the direct air capture, energy generation and CCS sector

Participating in FL/B/EU funded projects with H2 related research

• ‘CAMELEON’: Electrified catalytic non-oxidative methane coupling for separated hydrogen and ethylene production (2024-2028); VLAIO Moonshot cSBO project (2017-2024); Collaboration with LCT (UGent), and STEN (Ugent)
• Cracking of green ammonia to hydrogen using innovative catalyst and adsorbent assisted plasma technology (HYPACT) (2022-2025); FOD Economie. Federal Government of Belgium ;Collaboration with COK-KAT (KULeuven), and PLASMANT (UAntwerp)
• Electrical Cracking of Ammonia for Hydrogen Production (AMELEC) (2024-2025); UAntwerp’s industrial valorization funds (IOF SBO) Research Grant Supported by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
• “Design of innovative reactors for the release of hydrogen from chemical carriers such as liquid organic hydrogen carriers” (2023-2024); UAntwerp’s  industrial valorization funds (IOF SBO) Research Grant. Supported by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
• ‘Arclath’ 1 and 2 projects on the storage of hydrogen in hydrate clathrates. VLAIO Moonshot cSBO projects (2017-2024); Collaboration with COK-KAT (KULeuven), Comoc (Ugent), Center for Molecular Modeling (Ugent), STEPChem (VUB), and LADCA (UAntwerp)
• “Design of innovative reactors for the release of hydrogen from chemical carriers such as liquid organic hydrogen carriers” (2023-2024); UAntwerp’s industrial valorization funds (IOF SBO) Research Grant. Supported by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
• “Electrified chemical reactor for fast release of hydrogen (H2) from liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) for generator set (genset); H2 genset testing on a ship (Port of Future)” (2019-2020). UAntwerp’s industrial valorization funds (IOF SBO) Research Grant. Supported by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
• BOF DOCPRO4 PhD Fellowship, “CFD-Assisted Design of an Innovative Multiphase Chemical Reactor for Hydrogen Release”

Main relevant publications

1. Challenges in the use of hydrogen for maritime applications (2021). L Van Hoecke, L Laffineur, R Campe, P Perreault, et al. Energy & Environmental Science 14 (2), 815-843
2. Combined Methane Pyrolysis and Solid Carbon Gasification for Electrified CO2-Free Hydrogen and Syngas Production (2023). P Perreault, CR Boruntea, et al. Energies 16 (21), 7316
3. Intensified swirling reactor for the dehydrogenation of LOHC (2023). L Van Hoecke, NB Kummamuru, et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
4. Critical challenges towards the commercial rollouts of a LOHC-based H2 economy (2023). P Perreault, L Van Hoecke, et al. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 100836
5. Hydrogen clathrates: Next generation hydrogen storage materials (2021). A Gupta, GV Baron, P Perreault, et al. Energy Storage Materials 41, 69-107