Babcock & Wilcox signs agreement with Ohio State Innovation Foundation for decarbonization and hydrogen production technology

Babcock & Wilcox has entered into an exclusive, worldwide commercial license agreement with the Ohio State Innovation Foundation for a chemical looping process and particle used for decarbonization and the production of hydrogen, steam, and/or syngas, which complements B&W’s existing technology portfolio.

B&W and The Ohio State University collaborated to research, develop, and demonstrate the technology, which B&W now markets as BrightLoop as part of its innovative ClimateBrightTM portfolio of decarbonization and hydrogen generation technologies. At the United States National Carbon Capture Center, researchers from B&W and Ohio State successfully demonstrated the synthesis of hydrogen from syngas. The BrightLoop method utilizes an extremely adaptable and plentiful oxide particle and may be used with a wide variety of fuels, including natural gas, biogases, petroleum coke, coal, and biogas from municipal solid waste for waste-to-energy and syngas applications.

“B&W’s BrightLoop process is a game-changing solution for clean energy production with near zero carbon emissions,” said Brandy Johnson, B&W Vice President Global Engineering. “The research conducted by Ohio State and B&W has demonstrated not only the effectiveness of the technology to efficiently separate CO₂ while producing hydrogen, steam and/or syngas but also how it is fully scalable, adaptable and economically feasible for large and small installations.”

The BrightLoop oxide particle, developed exclusively by Ohio State researchers, is also economical and easily regenerable, resulting in increased particle life and lower operating costs in an environmentally friendly manner, in contrast to other chemical looping systems that rely on copper, nickel, cobalt, or other difficult-to-source and dispose of materials.

“This license agreement, aimed at the commercialization of this chemical looping technology, represents an extraordinary milestone in my journey which began 30 years ago,” said Liang-Shih Fan, Ohio State Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. “The dedicated and long-enduring effort and commitment of my team at Ohio State have overcome various challenges through our multiscale-based fundamental, multifaceted approaches.”

“The key to its success is the Ohio State exclusive development of the patented oxygen carrier and the moving bed reduction platform,” Fan said. “We appreciate the strong partnership with Babcock & Wilcox in the successful earlier demonstrations of two large pilot units to ascertain the scaling effects of the technology for hydrogen and heat generation.”

ClimateBright technology from B&W are applicable to a wide variety of industries, including petrochemical processing, oil and gas, hydrogen production, energy production and storage, food manufacturing, steel, cement, pharmaceuticals, carbon black, and pulp and paper.

“BrightLoop technology is an ideal solution for hydrogen producers, petrochemical facilities, oil & gas producers, utilities, manufacturers or other industrial companies that want to generate clean hydrogen, syngas and energy with near-zero carbon emissions,” Johnson said. “We’re currently in discussions with customers about opportunities for using this technology in their operations, and we are eager to look for additional opportunities to scale up this breakthrough technology for commercial use. We also look forward to further developing complementary technologies through our continuing collaboration with Ohio State. They have been ideal partners throughout the research and development process and we look forward to continuing to work closely together as we bring BrightLoop technology to B&W’s customers.”