Experimental Unit Development for Catalytic Cracking of Methane for High Purity Hydrogen and High Value Carbon Production

Acronym: -

Project ID: -

Funding: Ιdeas Incubator "Evangelos Grigoroudis", Academic innovation actions within the framework of operation of the Innovation Business Observatory of the Region of Crete for 2025-2026

Duration: 03/2026 to 02/2027

Project website: https://ibo.crete.gov.gr/fytwrio-idewn/#

Project Summary: This project aims to study and investigate the production of high-purity hydrogen with zero direct CO2 emissions, alongside the co-production of solid carbon, which can be utilized as a functional material in high-value applications. This initiative constitutes a proposal within the framework of the Ideas Incubator "Evangelos Grigoroudis", funded by the Region of Crete.

The global shift toward decarbonization has placed clean hydrogen production technologies at the center of the energy transition. The research within this project focuses on the catalytic reaction of methane decomposition (CH4 → 2H2 + C), which offers an attractive alternative pathway for generating hydrogen without direct CO2 emissions, while co-producing solid carbon. The main objective is to design and construct a proof-of-concept experimental setup equipped with a fixed-bed reactor, enabling the detailed study of the reaction under controlled conditions. The operation of this experimental unit will enable the evaluation of innovative catalysts in terms of performance and stability, while also defining the optimal operating conditions. These findings will be used to assess the quality of the produced hydrogen and carbon, paving the way for the future scale-up of the technology.

INSTITUTE MEMBERS: Nikolaos Kostoglou [coordinator], Katerina Damiri, Ioannis Yentekakis

PROJECT PARTNERS
Science and Technology Park of Crete (STEP-C)

ASSOCIATED PARTNERS
Technical University of Crete ​​​