Title

HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM BIOGAS: COMPUTATIONAL THERMODYNAMICS APPLIED TO OPTIMIZATION OF REFORMING CONDITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CATALYSTS

HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM BIOGAS: COMPUTATIONAL THERMODYNAMICS APPLIED TO OPTIMIZATION OF REFORMING CONDITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CATALYSTS

Authorship

Silva, Aline Lima da; Heck, Nestor Cezar

DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-23002

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Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the optimized conditions for H2 production by biogas/methane reforming technologies for fuel cells use. The effect of controllable operating parameters on H2 production is evaluated through thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using the Gibbs energy minimization approach. The heat needed for each reforming process is also analyzed. As one can see from the results, high selectivity towards H2 formation can be achieved under thermo-neutral operating conditions. A new reforming process involving the in situ CO2 capture – known as Sorption Enhanced Reforming (SER) – is also studied. It is found that high purity H2 (>90mol%, on dry basis) can be obtained in a single step process, with no need of water-gas shift reactors, which simplifies enormously the hydrogen plant. Thermodynamic modeling of SER process using CaO, Li2ZrO3 and Li4SiO4 is carried out, and the best material to be used as sorbent is indicated. Theoretical results are validated against experimental values from literature. In this way, the relevance of computational thermodynamics to the development of new processes and materials for H2 generation is shown.

 

The aim of this research is to determine the optimized conditions for H2 production by biogas/methane reforming technologies for fuel cells use. The effect of controllable operating parameters on H2 production is evaluated through thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using the Gibbs energy minimization approach. The heat needed for each reforming process is also analyzed. As one can see from the results, high selectivity towards H2 formation can be achieved under thermo-neutral operating conditions. A new reforming process involving the in situ CO2 capture – known as Sorption Enhanced Reforming (SER) – is also studied. It is found that high purity H2 (>90mol%, on dry basis) can be obtained in a single step process, with no need of water-gas shift reactors, which simplifies enormously the hydrogen plant. Thermodynamic modeling of SER process using CaO, Li2ZrO3 and Li4SiO4 is carried out, and the best material to be used as sorbent is indicated. Theoretical results are validated against experimental values from literature. In this way, the relevance of computational thermodynamics to the development of new processes and materials for H2 generation is shown.

Keywords

Computational thermodynamics; Biogas; Hydrogen; Catalyst; Reforming.

Computational thermodynamics; Biogas; Hydrogen; Catalyst; Reforming.