Paper details

Title:

Hydrogen Production from Ethanol Steam Reforming Using a Novel Nano-Ni/SiO2 Catalyst

Author(s):

Wu, C., Williams, P.T.

Document(s):

Abstract:

Hydrogen is regarded as a key energy source for the future. Ethanol has been extensively researched as a feedstock for hydrogen production through the steam reforming process. However, improving catalyst efficiency in relation to increased hydrogen production and minimised coke formation on the catalyst remains a significant research area. Consequently, research into the catalyst preparation process has intensified to enable new generation catalysts to be developed which will improve catalyst efficiency. In this work, a novel nano­Ni/SiO2 catalyst has been prepared and its effectiveness in relation to hydrogen production from the ethanol steam reforming process has been investigated. Experiments were carried out in a two­stage fixed bed reaction system at a pre­heated temperature of 190 °C and a reforming temperature of 600 °C. BET surface area and porosity, temperature­programmed oxidation (TPO), Fourier­transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and focused ion beam (FIB)/scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used in this work to analyse the prepared catalysts. Gas samples were analysed by gas chromatography. The BET and TEM analysis results showed a catalyst with high surface area (around 700 m2 g­1) and containing well­dispersed NiO particles. The results for ethanol steam reforming showed that the prepared nano­Ni/SiO2 catalyst with 20 wt.% of Ni exhibited effective catalytic activity in relation to hydrogen production and prohibition of coke deposition on the surface of the catalyst. A small amount of coke deposition (< 5 Wt.%) was obtained on the surface of the catalyst from the TPO analysis, and the FIB­SEM result showed that filamentous carbons were observed to be deposited inside and on the surface of the reacted catalysts, when the catalyst was used for 7 h in the ethanol steam reforming process. Consequently, the novel nano­ Ni/SiO2 catalyst developed in this work has been shown to be very effective for the efficient conversion of ethanol to hydrogen.

Keywords:

catalyst, ethanol, hydrogen, reforming

Topic:

Biomass Conversion Technologies for Heating, Electricity and Chemicals                  

Subtopic:

Gasification for synthesis gas production

Event:

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

VP2.4.2

Pages:

1539 - 1542

ISBN-13:

978-88-89407-55-4

ISBN-10:

88-89407-55-7

Paper DOI:

10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-VP2.4.2

Price:

FREE