SiPHyR

We have obtained two exclusive licences from the University of Adelaide (UoA) for a new fluid reactor technology and a new method to convert methane to hydrogen and solid carbon.

SiPHyR will integrate these licensed designs with our silicon-based thermal energy storage technology – SiBrick® – to enable continuous production from low-cost renewable electricity. 

We have assembled a team of experts from UoA, Woodside Energy Technologies, Vulcan Steel and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, supported by an Australian Government grant under the Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-P). 

Methane pyrolysis is a high-temperature process that converts natural gas or biogas into hydrogen gas and solid carbon.  

Existing pyrolysis methods face challenges with scalability and carbon buildup. To address these issues the University of Adelaide invented a dual column bubble reactor, effectively separating heating from carbon production.

Integrating SiBrick with the reactor allows us to draw on intermittent renewable energy and still provide the constant, very high temperatures required for the pyrolysis process.

SiPHyR will produce hydrogen and a solid carbon product that can be used in many industries, including steel and plastic production.

SiPHyR aims to make low-emissions hydrogen for the same price as current emissions-intensive hydrogen processes, which is less than US$2 per kilogram.

SiPHyR could be used to decarbonise natural gas by removing carbon directly from the pipeline. 

 Hydrogen is more efficient than gas in many production processes, providing a potentially compelling business case for future uses.

We’re aiming to advance SiPHyR from its current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 2 to TRL 5 within three years. 

A critical deliverable of this project is a detailed plan for a scaled demonstration at TRL 7 within two years of this project’s completion, ensuring the technology’s readiness for commercialisation.