Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 5353–5359

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An overview of conventional and non-conventional hydrogen production

methods
Ravindra Kumar a,b,⇑, Anil Kumar b,c,⇑, Amit Pal b
a
Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, ADGITM, New Delhi 110053, India
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi 110042, India
c
Centre for Energy and Environment, Delhi Technological University, Delhi 110042, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: H2 fuel is adopted for the upcoming generation. Leading of H2 technology is causes of decrement of fossil
Received 19 August 2020 fuel and change of climate condition. There are multiple methods for the development of producing H2
Received in revised form 26 August 2020 from conventional and non-conventional resources. This paper presents the major hydrogen production
Accepted 30 August 2020
technologies by the industrial and biological process and a short discussion on the present scenario and
Available online 12 October 2020
economy of H2 production and hydrogen storage. The collection of industrial techniques are involve in
different kind of reforming process such as steam methane reformation (SMR), Partial oxidation (POx),
Keywords:
auto thermal reforming (ATR) and steam iron. Biological techniques of H2 production are adopted by var-
Hydrogen production
Industrial processes
ious developing processes such as dark-fermentation, photo fermentation, and bio-photolysis by direct
Biological processes and indirect method. SMR is mostly used in the industrial process and it reaches efficiency 85%. It is avail-
able nearly 50% of globally consumption. POx and ATR are also another two important processes used for
industrial. The biological process is producing low yields but gaining more interest due to easy and large
availability of feed materials and low pollutions. Bio-H2 production methods economy is more expensive
than fossil fuel H2 production. The requirement of more research challenges the yields of bio-H2 to pro-
vide practical solutions. Several researchers have been done more works on bio-hydrogen using water
and biomass along with solar energy, but still, it continues to improve the efficiency of development.
Ó 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Confer-
ence on Innovations in Clean Energy Technologies.

1. Introduction
The present status of the maximum growth of energy is depen-
dent on traditional resources like fossil fuels [1]. Day by day
increasing demand for energy (as a fuel) and limitation of fossil
fuels (petroleum, coal and natural gas), there is an essential
requirement to make clean fuel and environmental friendly as
the environment is very affected by air pollution [2]. The use of
renewable energy becomes more important due to its alternative
option to produce fuels as a form of energy and it focuses on mak-
ing different technologies [3]. The climate issue and energy crisis
have evoked a deep concern all over the world; speedy depletion
of natural energy resources based of 80% is consumed from fossil
⇑ Corresponding authors at: Department of Mechanical and Automation Engi-
neering, ADGITM, New Delhi 110053, India (R. Kumar), Department of Mechanical
Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi 110042, India (A. Kumar).
E-mail addresses: ravindra87kumar@gmail.com (R. Kumar), anilkumar76@dtu.
ac.in (A. Kumar).
fuel [4], besides searching for the new sources of energy, which
must be clean, pollution free and renewable energy. The Present
days, hydrogen gas introduces a potential energy source, attracting
worldwide interest and having high content of energy (286 kJ per
mol) [5]. Hydrogen is envisaged as alternative energy as a fuel car-
rier in the coming decades. It can replace the fossil fuels because of
it having high potential, non– carbon-based, non-polluted and
good symbol for the environment. Hydrogen energy is more gain-
ing attention due to decrement of fossil fuel and increasing
demand for energy [6]. It is having energy content/unit weight
(142 kJ/g).It is safer and comfortable handling compare to other
natural gases. After combustion, it produces energy and water
vapors which is environmental friendly. These factors make the
ideal condition for replacing fossil fuels. Now, H2 has been consid-
ered worldwide most alternative fossil fuel, safe fuel and pollution
less. In the current scenario, hydrogen is developed by natural
gases, naphtha and heavy oil, coal and electrolysis etc. Maximum
H2 production (96%) is directly extracted by fossil fuels and nearly

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.08.793
2214-7853/Ó 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Innovations in Clean Energy Technologies.
R. Kumar, A. Kumar and A. Pal
Fig. 1. Fossil fuels used in world H2 production [9].
4% H2 production indirectly way by using electricity from fossil
fuel as feedstock, depicted in Fig. 1.At present day, biomass is also
becoming more favorable H2 production methods from the biolog-
ical process due to the utilization of non-conventional recourses,
and it uses at ambient temperature and pressure [7–8].
In this review paper, examine the existing industrial-based pro-
cess and biological methods for H2 production. The aims of the
work to focus on a comparative overviewed of H2 production
methods mainly from hydrocarbon, biomass, and water using solar
energy.
2. Present status of hydrogen production
Most of researchers and specialists adopted that hydrogen
holds excellent potential as energy in the future. Two factors, such
as economic growth and industrialization of developing countries
have been grown the world’s energy demand.
Balat [10] reported the world H2 production was nearly 44.5
million tons per annum or 500 Bm3 by the end of the year 2008
and the estimated demand of energy will touch nearby 600-
1000EJ up to 2050 [11]. Hosseini [11] reviewed the H2 fuel cell is
favourable technology in future energy supply. Currently,
resources of fossil fuel as coal, natural gas and crude oil provide
approximately 80% of planetary energy demand [12]. It is assumed
that consume petroleum in each day nearly 18.3 million barrels
can replace hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles (car and light
trucks) by the year 2040. It is also accepting that hydrogen-based
powered vehicles are more efficient (2.5 times) of improved vehi-
cles of gasoline and to full fill, the petroleum reduction would meet
the requirement of hydrogen nearly 150 million by 2040. The over-
all net energy can save by the use of petroleum approximate 11
million barrels /day from all H2 production through petroleum
reforming [13]. Rohland et al. [14] focused 36% shares from renew-
able resources by 2025 increased to world total energy 69% shares
by 2050 from the same energy and 11% by 2025 grown to 34% from
hydrogen up to 2050.
3. Hydrogen production from industrial process
Many technologies are accessible for hydrogen generation by
fossil fuels, but the mains are hydrocarbon reforming and most
advanced methods [15].Various kinds of feedstock are available
for H2 production on industrial bases but more ideal feed stock
as input material is natural gas due to the availability of huge
amount and beneficial price [16].There are also use some light
alcohols such as ethanol and methanol, easy handling, and globally
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Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 5353–5359
distributed [17]. There are some important techniques of hydrogen
productions, as refer in Fig. 2
3.1. Steam methane reforming (SMR)
Steam reforming is a kind of technique to produce hydrogen
through different feedstock like (higher hydrocarbon, acetone,
ethanol, methanol, ethane and methane) with different catalysts.
Methane is a more favourable feedstock to others because of better
by-product formation [18].This technique can produce hydrogen in
multiple stages, as shown in Fig. 3.
Steam methane reforming of natural gas is a well-established
technology that is used to generate hydrogen with the presence
of steam through the conversion of hydrocarbon and implemented
the first industrial application of steam methane in 1930 [19]. The
steam methane reforming process involves catalytically reforming
or (syn-gas) production, gas purification or methanation and water
gas shift. It is operated at a higher temperature range 700–900 °C
with the endothermic process. The necessary chemical reaction
of steam methane reforming as follows [20].
Reformer Equation
CH4 þ H2 O $ 3H2 þ CO DH ¼ 206:2KJ=mol at 298K ð1Þ
Water gas shift reaction
41:1KJ
CO þ H2 O $ H2 þ CO2 DH ¼  at 298K ð2Þ
mol
Methanation reaction
KJ
CH4 þ 2H2 O $ 4H2 þ CO2 DH ¼ 164:9 at 298K ð3Þ
mol
The reaction of water gas shift and reverse methanation are
involved in a reaction of steam reforming over a catalyst at a higher
temperature of more than 700 °C [20].
3.2. Partial oxidation(POx)
POx is another standard route to H2 production, which uses oxy-
gen and hydrocarbon or methane fuel. The syngas (H2 + CO) and a
mixture of CO2, N2, H2O, and a small amount of products such as
methane are produced through partial oxidation. In a general
way, oxidizing fuel is a requirement of energy balance in the pres-
ence of air. If sufficient air is not added, the fuel will oxidize incom-
pletely, yielding mainly CO and H2. However, it provides the
sufficient air yielding, mainly CO2 and H2O as well. However, if
the air present becomes half, at that time the chemical equilibrium
will predict the mixture of CO and H2, along with small traces of
CO2 and H2O. The general equations are partial oxidation [21].
n m
Cn Hm þ O2 ! nCO þ H2 ð4Þ
2 2
1 35KJ
CH4 þ O2 $ CO þ 2H2 DH ¼  at 298K ð5Þ
2 mol
Two-step reactions consist of partial oxidation of methane. In
the first step reaction, total methane combustion in the presence
of O2 to get CO2 and H2O. This is now followed by steam reforming
of un-reacted methane and CO2 to receive syngas. The reaction
accumulates with the reaction of water gas shift to obtain CO2
and H2O.The reactions of reforming are endothermic, however
but total oxidation methane is an exothermic process
(DH ¼ 803KJ=mol at 298Þ [22].
R. Kumar, A. Kumar and A. Pal
Fig. 2. Methods of H2 production from industrial process.
Fig. 3. Flow process of multistage for production of hydrogen [18].
3.3. Auto thermal reforming(ATR)
This approach is combined with steam reforming and POx
methods in an adiabatic reactor. This technique also provides the
neutral reaction of pairing the endothermic as steam reforming
and exothermic as partial oxidation. H2 yield is low than steam
reforming, a better alternative option for fuel reforming due to
neutral reaction in thermodynamically [23].
General equation:
n  m
Cn Hm þ O2 þ nH2 O ! n þ H2
2 2
þ nCO2 ; DH0 reaction approx: to zero ð6Þ
Natural gas converted into a gas (H2 + CO) in the furnace of cat-
alytic and then produced CO2 and H2 in catalytic shift reaction
along with the water when CO reacts. CO2 can be captured through
an absorption process by amines. Aqueous Amine solvent tech-
niques are used for absorption of CO2 at industrial scale [24].
3.4. Steam iron process
This process is the old technique for H2 generation. This method
is started in the 20th century and mainly for balloons and airships.
This is also known as a conventional method in which produces the
hydrogen from iron oxide and performed the temperature nearly
540°-900 °C [25]. It is a repeated process for H2O split by which
oil and coal are utilized. This process is done to produce reducing
gas by coal gasified and containing H2 and CO. This type of gas
reacts by iron oxides like magnetite (Fe3O4), hematite (Fe2O3),
and wuestite (FeO) to generate an iron oxide with reduced form
[25]. The regenerated iron utilize in the reactor of the steam iron,
consist of oxidized through steam to generate high abundant gas
of H2 and Fe3O4 and touch the temperature nearly (1088 K-
1143 K), represented by a chemical reaction.
3FeO þ H2 O ! Fe3 O4 þ H2 ð7Þ
Steam iron reactor constitutes the small traces N2 and CO2 with
61% steam and 37% H2 and after condensation steam, improve H2
concentration nearly 96% with 1.6% CO2 and 2.5% N2 [26].
4. Biological techniques of H2 production
Hydrogen production is prepared by various methods of biolog-
ical process. The biological process is an alternate technique of
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Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 5353–5359
generating hydrogen and it is environmental friendly requires less
energy-intensive and operated at atmospheric pressure and tem-
perature [27]. Agriculture waste as raw material is the best promis-
ing candidate for the production of bio-fuels from anaerobic
fermentation process [28]. Currently, the biomass is gaining more
attention for hydrogen production and uses as waste material, cel-
lulose, sucrose and starch but earlier used only glucose.
4.1. Dark fermentation
The fermentation process is done from anaerobic bacteria and
green algae in dark conditions [29].It is conducted by a biochemical
process that can be performed with and without the presence of O2
and obtained the CO2, acetone, alcohols and H2 by the performance
of microbial transformation of organic material (feed material)
[30]. Carbohydrate is a good example of glucose as organic carbon.
As observed from equations no.8 and 9, glucose as biomass pro-
duces a 4 mol of hydrogen in each mol of glucose when acetic acid
(CH3COOH) is the fermentation by-product and 2 mol of hydrogen
in each mol of glucose can be produced as the butyrate acid (CH3-
CH2CH2COOH) is the fermentation by-product [31].
C6 H12 O6 þ 2H2 O ! 4H2 þ 2CH3 COOH þ 2CO2 ð8Þ
C6 H12 O6 ! 2H2 þ CH3 CH2 CH2 COOH þ 2CO2 ð9Þ
Formation of hydrogen from dark fermentation depends on
important parameters such as hydraulic retention time (HRT), PH
value and gaseous partial pressure. PH value must be maintained
in between ranges 5 to 6 for the optimal H2 production [32].
4.2. Photo-Fermentation
This is the process of biochemical that is conducted using
organic acid and solar energy under deficient nitrogen. Photosyn-
thetic bacteria can convert organic acids like butyric, lattice and
acetic into CO2 and H2 with the presence of nitrogenase [33]. For
example, photosynthetic non-sulfur (PNS) bacteria have capable
of converting volatile fatty acid s (VFAS) into CO2 and H2 with
the presence of an oxygenic conditions [34]. For hydrogen produc-
tion, carbon sources such as sucrose glucose, succinate instead of
VFA can also be capable of PNS bacteria [35]. When the acidic acid
of fermentation medium, 1 mol of acetic acid generated 4 mol of H2
as presented in Eq. (10). Ref. [36]
Light
CH3 COOH þ 2H2 O ! 4H2 þ 2CO2 DGO ¼ þ104KJ ð10Þ
R. Kumar, A. Kumar and A. Pal
4.3. Hybrid system
It is a group arrangement approach of both photo and dark fer-
mentation from biological wastes. It is adopted as a complete con-
version process compares to other processes. This system can
produce a maximum yield of H2 generation and less requirement
of light energy. The system is referring in Fig. 4 [37].
Hydrogen can produce from dark conditions using anaerobic
bacteria with different carbohydrates and comes out organic acid
as a source for bacteria of photosynthetic to obtain additional pro-
duction of hydrogen [38].The hybrid system is also known as two-
stage process and sequential order of dark-fermentation process.
These stages are represented by equations as follows [39].
Dark FermentationðStageIÞ : C6 H12 O6 þ 2H2 O
! 2CO2 þ 2CH3 COOH þ 4H2 ð11Þ
Photo fermentationðStageIIÞ : 2CH3 COOH
Light
þ 4H2 ! 4CO2 þ 8H2 ð12Þ
Overallreaction : C6 H12 O6 þ 6H2 O ! 12H2 þ 6CO2 ð13Þ
4.4. Bio-photolysis
Bio-photolysis is utilized during the photosynthesis process
using the ability of plants (mainly algae) to dissociate water. It is
also a biological process in which split of water molecules into
hydrogen and oxygen presence of sunlight using isolated photo-
synthetic membrane and other catalysts. This process is mainly
decomposition of water using photons with biological catalysts,
known as photolysis of water. It is two categories of bio photolysis:
Direct and indirect.
4.4.1. Direct bio-photolysis
This process is used microalgae (green algae with cyanobacte-
ria) through the presence of solar energy. It consists of photosyn-
thetic reactions where as water is transformed into hydrogen
represented by a general reaction [37].
2H2 O þ Lightenergy ! O2 þ 2H2 ð14Þ
Green algae dissociate water (H2O) molecules into hydrogen
ions along with oxygen ions during photosynthesis. Anabaena
cylindrica is an excellent example of cyanobacteria for direct bio-
photolysis [40].
4.4.1.1. Indirect bio-photolysis. This process is done in 2 steps; the
first step occurs with photosynthesis which generates glucose with
Fig. 4. Flow process of hybrid system [37].
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O2 while in the second step, CO2 and H2 are generated through glu-
cose along with water and the general reactions as follows [37].
12H2 O þ 6CO2 þ Solarenergy ! 6O2 þ C6 H12 O6 ð15Þ
C6 H12 O6 þ 12H2 O þ Solarenergy ! 6CO2 þ 12H2 ð16Þ
Hydrogenase and nitrogenase are both responsible for hydrogen
formation but more production rate of hydrogenase enzymes by
green algae [41]. The process of indirect bio-photolysis is explained
as shown in Fig. 5 [37].
5. Overall summary of hydrogen methods
In this section, comparative assessment on the bases of data of
various kinds of H2 production methods has been discussed. The
performance evaluation of H2 production, both technically and
economically, are presented in Tables 1 and 2. These methods are
highly matured and developed and already exist. They are pro-
vided the advantages, disadvantages and efficiency on the bases
of hydrocarbon and renewable energy sources (Table 1).
Biomass is renewable, abundant feed material and readily avail-
able in the environment. Biological processes generate low yield
and need a larger volume reactor.
The total cost of H2 production methods depend on feedstock,
source of energy and capital investment, included in Table 2. Low
price of fuel such as coal and natural gas, more efficient as they
were using feedstock, conventional techniques are producing H2
at a low cost nearly 2 US$/Kg, as depicted in Table 1. H2 production
cost/kg considering and without considering CCS ranges 1.34–
2.27US$.
Production of hydrogen methods presents with their efficiency
and its feedstock, refer table 1. Reforming technologies are most
mature and reach efficiency up to 85% for SMR and followed by
POx and ATR nearly 75%. The main outlines of the above section
are renewable technologies become more competitive, its related
cost and need more research to develop a more efficient manner
of hydrogen generation.
5.1. Economic aspect
Hay et al. [45] analyzed the production of H2 from an econom-
ical source such as coal and natural gas comprise 0.37–1.82 USD
per kg and 2.48–3.15 USD per kg. However, the cost is high as of
wind and solar energy. It is assumed that using biomass or waste
materials as energy sources can be reduced to H2 production. In
between the year of 2011–2016, globally hydrogen production
was evaluated to expand through the compound yearly increase
the rate of 5.6% and accepted that generation of H2 market will
R. Kumar, A. Kumar and A. Pal Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 5353–5359

Fig. 5. Flow process of indirect bio-photolysis [37].

Table 1
Different kind of H2 production methods with their benefits, drawbacks and efficiency [34,42,43,44].

Process Benefits Drawbacks Efficiency (%)

SMR  Vast industrial experience  Air emissions are high 70–85
 No need O2  Complex system
 Low temperature required
 Higher efficiency
 Best H2/CO ratio for H2
Pox  No need catalyst  Lower H2/CO ratio 60–75
 System is simple  Need O2
 Requirement of desulphurization is less  High operating temperature
ATR  Favorable H2/CO ratio  Need Air or O2 60–75
 Lower methane slip  Minimal commercial experience
 Need less oxygen than Pox
 Low operating temperature compare with POx
Dark Fermentation  No limitation of O2 due to anaerobic process  Requirement of reactor volume is high 60–80
 Higher production rate  COD removal is low
 Use variety of substrates  Conversion efficiency is low
 Simple of reactor technique  By-product is large amount
 H2 production without light  Lower H2 yields
Photo Fermentation  Bacteria can use light energy  Need solar energy 6.6–86
 Use variety of organic waste  Lower rate of H2 yields
 Substrate conversion is nearly complete  Conversion efficiency is low
 CO2 neutral  Larger reactor volume
Bio-photolysis by direct  H2 production form sun and water  Need intensity of light 6.04–46
Bio-photolysis by Indirect  H2 production from water using Cyanobacteria  Present 30% O2 in mixture of gas 6.04–46

Table 2
Summary of various H2 production processes with their feedstock, capital cost and hydrogen cost [42].

Method Source of energy Feedstock Capital cost (M$) H2 cost (US$ per Kg)
Steam methane reforming by CCS (CO2 capture and storage) Fossil fuels CH4 226.3 2.27
Steam methane reforming with no CCS Fossil fuels CH4 180.5 2.08
Auto thermal reforming of CH4 by CCS Fossil fuels CH4 183.3 1.48
Dark Fermentation – Organic Biomass – 2.57
Photo-Fermentation Solar light Organic Biomass – 2.83
Bio-photolysis by Direct method Solar light Water with algae 50 US$ per m2 2.13
Bio-photolysis by Indirect method Solar light Water with algae 135US$ per m2 1.42

raise nearly USD 87.3 billion up to 2011 to USD 118 billion up to
2016 using by means of CAGR of 6.21% [45]. Kalamara [46] pre-
sented a most favourable and an inexpensive method for produc-
tion of H2 is SMR (natural gas). The price of H2 is nearly 7USD/GJ
and this approach is used more than half of globally H2 production.
Hydrogen generation from biomass using pyrolysis and gasifica-
tion obtain H2 prices more than 3 times higher compared to H2
prices produced by SMR process. H2 price from biomass gasifica-
tion and pyrolysis estimated ranges from 10 to 14 US$ per GJ
and 8.91–5.51 US$ per GJ. Its dependency on feedstock cost, acces-
sibility and equipment [47].
6. Hydrogen storage
A storage device of H2 is an essential part and a big task of
hydrogen storage for the use of a large scale. Hydrogen has high
energy density and low energy density by weight and volume
respectively, with the comparison to hydrocarbon [48]. The storage
parameter such as gravimeter and volumetric should be higher for
the devices of hydrogen storage. The material for H2 storage device
is low cost, lightweight, suitable kinetic of desorption, adsorption,
and recyclability. The U.S. DOE (Department of Energy) 2015 goals
are the capacity of 40 g H2/litre and 5.5 wt% and 1500 cycles of a

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R. Kumar, A. Kumar and A. Pal
lifetime [49]. 1 kg of H2 occupies 11 m3 volume at atmospheric
pressure and ambient temperature with a lower density 0.09 kg/
m3 [50].
Hydrogen is store in a gaseous state at ambient temperature but
in the liquid state need the lowest temperature (-253 °C or 20 K)
using vacuum insulated vessel. The main important methods of
H2 can be stored physically, such as gas under pressure, cryogenic
liquid state and frozen (solid) fuel like metal hydrides (combine
physical and chemical). Highly pressurized gaseous H2 storage is
a familiar and fully grown technique as a result of its technically
simple and high rate of filling, require approximate higher pressure
(77 MPa) using mechanical compressor (piston-type) [51].How-
ever, the work requirement of compression is higher than
2.21 KWh/kg, consisting of gravimeter (13 wt%) and volumetric
density (less than 40 kg/m3) [52].
Cryogenic tank uses for storage of hydrogen in liquid form by
two steps through compression and cooling process in H.E. (Heat
Exchanger). Liquid H2 has a low boiling point, then the work
required for compressor is nearly 15.2 kWh/kg; collecting volu-
metric density (at atm. pressure) is 70.8 kg/m3 but the parameter
gravimeter density depends on size of the tank [51]. H2 storage
in solid state is more effective at moderate pressure, temperature
and stored by adsorption (on a solid surface). In the adsorption
process, when several atoms of solid surface interacted by gas
molecules, it bonded and released in reverse order. A low temper-
ate 77 K and pressure 6 MPa, stored hydrogen by carbon nanotubes
and providing volumetric density (10.8 wt%) and gravimeter
(41 kg/m3) [52].
There are various metals used for storing hydrogen. Magnesium
is adopted as attractive material because of lightweight, lower cost,
and high capacity and it stores H2 (7.6 wt%) [53]. Metals (light-
weight) as Li, Al, B, Mg, Na and Be, a huge variety of compound
metal hydrogen [51]. Metal hybrids such as NaBH4, Ca2H, LiH,
MgH2 and LIAlH4 studied of storage materials for H2 gas to fuel-
cell. Best material such as NaBH4 (Sodium borohydride) is used
for high stability, safety purpose and higher storage capacity
(10.8 wt%). However, react with water without using any catalyst
and not stability in the air to generate hydrogen [54].
Most of the industries apply policy of H2 need superior package,
transportation and storage as of production site to the users. Thus,
research requires for hydrogen storage material is safe, commercial
and reliable. There is an important criterion for H2 storage as the
reversibility of uptake and release. Therefore, the reversibility cri-
teria excepts the entire covalent and associated compound of
hydrogen carbon because hydrogen is just released if it is heated
at high temperature more than 800 °C, otherwise the carbon is oxi-
dized [50].
7. Conclusions
In the development of hydrogen production, a tremendous
amount of research is going on due to more reasons like its clean,
high energy content, safe energy, and produced from different
kinds of recourses such as fossil fuel, renewable other sustainabil-
ity energy. Presently, Hydrocarbon reforming techniques are more
used and developed for hydrogen production. Several researchers
have been done the more works on bio-hydrogen using water
and biomass along with solar energy, but still it continues to
improve the efficiency of development.
This review paper analyzed the developments in conventional
techniques used by an industrial process, leading enhancement
of H2 production and biological processes described by non-
conventional techniques, promising methods for producing H2
from some advantages such as biomass, plenteous, cleanly and
renewable source.
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Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 5353–5359
The collection of industrial techniques are involve in different
kind of reforming process such as steam methane reformation
(SMR), Partial oxidation (POx), auto thermal reforming (ATR) and
steam iron. Some other biological techniques of H2 production
are adopted by various developing processes such as dark fermen-
tation, photo fermentation, and bio-photolysis by direct and indi-
rect. The reforming techniques are most efficient and mostly
used for H2 production. Steam methane reforming (SMR) achieved
nearly 85% and also reached around 75% by partial oxidation (POx)
and auto thermal reforming (ATR) process. The reforming pro-
cesses are not new methods, but these are the most efficient.
Due to dependency on fossil fuels, developing alternate tech-
niques of H2 production are necessary. Some techniques of H2 pro-
duction are adopted by various developing processes such as the
biological process is one of them. The biological procedure is pro-
ducing low yields but gaining more interest due to easy and large
availability of feed materials and low pollutions. Since H2 can be
developed by various kind of renewable sources and efforts in min-
imal global warming, a lot of research work, introduced the whole
world to make methods of H2 production efficient more and more.
Still, H2 productions of conventional techniques are more attrac-
tive and economically, though non-conventional techniques are
fields of scientific research.
There are two main factors such as increasing ecological issues
as well as the cost of energy. Bio-fuels are generating more interest
in the development of H2 production fields. Bio- H2 production
methods economy is more expensive than fossil fuel H2 produc-
tion. The requirement of more research challenges the yields of
bio-H2 to provide practical solutions. The economic analysis point
of view reuses of waste areas feed material illustrated the sustain-
ability of commercialization bio-hydrogen, on the other hand, stor-
age of H2 is a big major issue, presented immediately to process
utilization of H2 fuel, and needs research to the improvement of
gravimetric and volumetric density.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Ravindra Kumar: Writing - review & editing, Writing - original
draft. Anil Kumar: Supervision, Conceptualization. Amit Pal: Visu-
alization, Supervision.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgements
Authors are highly grateful to Department of Mechanical Engi-
neering and Centre for energy and Environment, Delhi Technolog-
ical University Delhi (India) for providing basic facilities to compile
this work.
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