Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access
ISSN: 2090-4541
ISSN: 2090-4541
N Homs, N K F M Elias, L Bednarczuk, P Ram�?rez de la Piscina and E M Assaf
University of Barcelona, Spain
University of S�?£o Paulo, Brazil
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy App
Most research on the production of H2 from biomass resources has focused on the well-known technology of reforming applied to biomass-derived alcohols, since alcohols are an efficient and easy to handle. Among the alcohols, bioethanol has been largely used due to its large-scale production; furthermore, the H2-content is relatively high per unit of ethanol molecule and ethanol is easy to manipulate. In research on H2 production, glycerol, an alcohol by-product of biodiesel production, has also been considered as an attractive substrate for producing H2 via reforming processes. In the transesterification process for the biodiesel production, glycerol forms as a ca. 10 wt% by-products and it needs to be removed. New substrates such as biobutanol, have also received research attention recently. When butanol is produced by fermentation of sugary biomass, a raw mixture (ABE) containing n-butanol, acetone and ethanol is obtained after preliminary distillation of the fermentation liquid, and the use of this reactant mixture as feedstock for H2 production is favorable in terms of energy because no further distillation is necessary. On the other hand, n-butanol possesses high hydrogen content than ethanol. The presence of acetone in the ABE mixture and the fact that acetone is also considered a model compound of bio-oil has also prompted research in reforming processes for H2 production from acetone. In the reforming processes all share the requirement of an effective catalytic system to be used. The catalysts for the reforming processes of the above considered oxygenated compounds must possess an efficient capacity to breakdown the C-C bonds without forming undesirable by-products at relatively low temperatures, while maintaining resistance to coking. Several metals have been used as active phases for catalytic steamreforming of alcohols, mainly Ni, Co and noble metals. However, from the point of view of practical economics purposes, the use of Ni-based catalysts is highly desirable. However, the formation of carbon deposits is a main drawback in this case. The goal of this work is to present our research in the study of the effect of ZrO2 component in new Ni/ZnO-based catalysts for the steam reforming of ethanol, acetone and glycerol to produce H2.
Email: narcis.homs@qi.ub.es