Industrial Hydrogen: Bosch Process
Making hydrogen from water gas on a large scale.
What this lesson covers
Why it matters
Steam rushes over red-hot coke, birthing a toxic gas mixture. We must strip away the poison to leave pure hydrogen behind.
The idea in plain words
Observe how CO gains oxygen from steam to become CO₂, while H₂ is liberated.
Predict first
Why do we convert the CO in water gas to CO₂?
CO is hard to separate from H₂. Converting it to CO₂ allows us to wash it out with alkali, leaving pure H₂.
- CO is more valuable than H₂
- CO₂ is easier to remove from H₂ than CO is — correct
- CO₂ reacts with H₂ to form more fuel
- CO is a solid at room temperature
What you do
First, generate water gas. Then, add steam and catalyst to scrub the CO.
Check yourself
What is the catalyst used in the Bosch process to convert CO to CO₂?
The reaction CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂ requires heat and Fe₂O₃ as a catalyst.
How do you confirm the presence of hydrogen in the initial water gas?
Hydrogen is identified by the characteristic 'pop' sound when a burning splinter is introduced.
What is the chemical equation for the formation of water gas?
Steam passing over red-hot coke produces carbon monoxide and hydrogen: C + H₂O → CO + H₂.
- Platinum
- Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) — correct
- Nickel
- No catalyst is needed
- It turns limewater milky
- It burns with a blue flame
- A burning splinter pops — correct
- It relights a glowing splinter
- C + H₂O → CO + H₂ — correct
- C + 2H₂O → CO₂ + 2H₂
- C + H₂ → CH₄
- 2C + H₂O → C₂H₂ + O