Hydrogen production by glycerol reforming in a fixed-bed reactor

ABSTRACT

Hydrogen production from the steam-reforming reaction of glycerol was studied over charcoal as catalyst in a tubular fixed-bed reactor. The results showed that charcoal was a novel kind of catalyst, which not only had an active effect on the reforming process, but can decrease the cost of production. The optimum conditions were obtained at 800°C, S/C of 4, WHSV of 1.5 h⁻¹. Hydrogen yield and potential hydrogen yield were up to 75.12% and 84.31%, as well as the carbon conversion reached 89.08% at the optimum conditions. The results of SEM and TGA indicated that there was polymerization and polycondensation of glycerol still in steam-reforming process.

KEYWORDS:

• Char
• glycerol
• hydrogen
• reforming
• steam

Funding

This project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 21376084] and Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Fume & Dust Pollution Control, Jianghan University [grant number HBIK2015-04].

Additional information

Funding

This project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 21376084] and Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Fume & Dust Pollution Control, Jianghan University [grant number HBIK2015-04].