# Techno-Economic Assessment: SMR with Carbon Capture vs. Alkaline Water Electrolysis

- **Organization / Host**: INSAT Research Initiative
- **Role**: Process Engineering Researcher
- **Timeline**: Jan 2025 – May 2025
- **Location**: Tunisia
- **Domain**: Energy Transition & Decarbonization

## Executive Summary
Conducted a comparative techno-economic assessment (TEA) of industrial hydrogen production via Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) integrated with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) vs. Alkaline Water Electrolysis (AWE). Focused on Aspen HYSYS flowsheet simulation, primary reformer equilibrium, pre- and post-combustion heat integration, steam-to-carbon ratio optimization, and Microsoft Excel capital/operational expenditure modeling.

## Key Technical Metrics
- **Carbon Capture**: > 95% (Deep SMR + CCS Decarbonization)
- **Steam-to-Carbon Ratio (S/C)**: S/C: 2.5–3.0 (Catalyst Coking Suppression Envelope)
- **Heat Integration**: Waste Heat Rec. (Syngas & Flue Gas to Capture Reboiler)
- **Economic Modeling**: Microsoft Excel (Discounted Cash Flow TEA (CAPEX/OPEX))

## Engineering Challenge & Technical Mandate
Achieving deep decarbonization (> 95% total CO₂ capture) in Steam Methane Reforming without imposing prohibitive energy penalties or levelized cost escalation. The technical challenge required optimizing the reformer reaction equilibrium and steam-to-carbon ratio (S/C: 2.5–3.0) to prevent catalyst coking, while maximizing waste heat recovery across syngas effluent and flue gas convection coils to supply the thermal regeneration duty of the amine-based CO₂ capture unit. By integrating Aspen HYSYS flowsheet simulation with capital and operational cost models in Microsoft Excel, I evaluated the trade-offs between SMR + CCS heat integration and renewable-powered alkaline electrolysis under real-world industrial utility and economic constraints.

## Process Simulation & Tools Used
- Aspen HYSYS
- Microsoft Excel
- Flowsheet Material & Energy Balances
- TEA Workbooks

## Standards & Codes Applied
- ISO 14040/14044 (Life Cycle Assessment)
- GPSA Section 21
- IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Guidelines

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*Published by Hazem Mensi — Chemical Process Engineer (https://www.hazemensi.com)*