Syngas

Syngas is an industrially useful chemical mixture of CO and H₂. It is used in the production of methanol, methane and other hydrocarbon synthesis. It can also be used to feed Methanotrophs to produce food and other industrially useful products.

CO production

CO and H₂ can be produced from methane and water:

CH₄ + H₂O → CO + 3 H₂

CO can also be produced from CO₂ via high temperature electrolysis in a MOXIE or chemically using the Bosch reaction:

CO₂ + H₂ → H₂O + CO

or from the thermal decomposition of biomass, plastics and other carbon containing compounds through pyrolysis.

H₂ production

H₂ can also be obtained through the catalytic splitting of ammonia:

2NH₃ → 3H₂ + N₂ (Catalyst: Na+NaNH₂)

H₂ can also be obtained from the splitting of water:

2H₂O → 2H₂ + O₂

Either through electrolysis or thermally through the Sulfur/Iodine cycle. The expanded Zinc/Sulfur/Iodine cycle produces both CO and H₂, along with O₂, which makes it very well suited for this process. The energy for these thermal cycles is likely to come from nuclear power, utilizing a turboinductor to convert the large amounts of lower temperature heat produced by the reactor to smaller quantities of much higher temperature heat required to run the hottest parts of the cycles.

Direct production of syngas

Syngas can also be produced directly by co-electrolysis. The Sunfire process uses solid oxide cells. The electrolyzer uses steam and CO2 as feed to produce renewable syngas in only one process step. Integration of waste heat and CO2 sources reduces electricity demand.

Uses

Syngas can be used to produce a large range of hydrocarbons using the Fisher-Tropsh reaction.

Syngas can be used to produce methanol.