Hydrogen production from glycerol on Ni/Al sub(2)O sub(3) catalyst

The growing demand of hydrogen needs renewable sources of raw materials to produce it. Glycerol, by-product of biodiesel synthesis, could be a bio-renewable substrate to obtain hydrogen. A Ni(5.8%)-alumina catalyst was evaluated in the steam reforming of glycerol at 600-700 degree C, atmospheric pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of hydrogen energy 2010-06, Vol.35 (11), p.5902-5907
Main Authors: Sanchez, Esteban A, D'Angelo, Miguel A, Comelli, Raul A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Byproducts
Catalysts
Conversion
Demand
Ethene
Glycerols
Methane
Selectivity
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Summary:The growing demand of hydrogen needs renewable sources of raw materials to produce it. Glycerol, by-product of biodiesel synthesis, could be a bio-renewable substrate to obtain hydrogen. A Ni(5.8%)-alumina catalyst was evaluated in the steam reforming of glycerol at 600-700 degree C, atmospheric pressure, 16:1 water:glycerol molar ratio, and 3.4-10.0 h super(-1) WHSV. A glycerol aqueous solution was fed, while a nitrogen stream was co-fed. After 4 h-on-stream, conversion was 96.8% at 600 degree C increasing to 99.4% at 700 degree C, reaching the largest hydrogen selectivity (99.7%) at 650 degree C. After 8 h, conversion decreases more significantly at 600 degree C, while the hydrogen selectivity does not significantly change with temperature and increases by decreasing WHSV. After 4 h, the main by-product was methane (76-97%), increasing at higher temperature, followed by ethene, ethane, propene, and propane. At 700 degree C and 10.0 h super(-1) WHSV, the main by-products were ethene (47%) and methane (37%); it could be associated to catalyst deactivation.
ISSN:0360-3199
DOI:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.12.115