e-WaGS: Efficient Water Gas Shift Technology for Low-Carbon Electric Power Generation from Fossil Fuels

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle with CO2 Capture and Storage (IGCC-CCS) is a uniquely advantaged technology for the generation of low-carbon power since it produces hydrogen as a decarbonised fuel. The Water Gas Shift (WGS) reaction is a key step in the IGCC-CCS process in which carbon monoxide produced by the gasification of the fuel is reacted with steam to produce hydrogen and CO2. State-of-the-art technology involves a catalyst in a conventional fixed-bed reactor which needs a high level of excess steam to function correctly. The objective of this project is to find an innovative new catalyst and reactor combination which can manage the highly exothermic reaction with lower levels of steam addition compared to the state-of-the-art. Through applied R&D the project will challenge both the performance of catalyst and the design of the process and will apply new materials and process configurations not used previously. The project will also look to integrate these efficiency improvements in the WGS reaction with new emerging gas separation technologies to maximise benefits. The targeted step-change improvement in efficiency will deliver reduction in primary fuel use, reduce the cost of IGCC-CCS power plant and reduce the cost of low-carbon electric power generated by plant that use the e-WaGS technology compared to state-of-the-art technology.