The dimethyl ether steam reforming reaction to generate hydrogen was tested over 1 wt % Pd/Al2O3 catalysts prepared from different precursors. The conventional catalyst prepared by incipient wetness impregnation from palladium nitrate underwent strong deactivation under reforming conditions at 823 K because of metal sintering and carbon deposition. The same occurred over the catalyst prepared f...

A model for pressurised steam/O2-blown fluidised-bed gasification of biomass with catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons and tars was developed using Aspen Plus simulation software. Seven main blocks were used to model the fluidised-bed gasifier and two for the catalytic reformer. Modelling blocks were complemented with FORTRAN subroutines to simulate the observed non-equilibrium behaviour of the ...

This study investigates use of solar thermochemical processing of clean fuels using biomass products (in particular CH4, H2O). To address technological feasibility of a microchannel-based solar receiver/reactor, a combined numerical and experimental study of methane-steam reforming is carried out on a single microchannel with Palladium-deposited channel walls and heat input to facilitate endoth...

It has been demonstrated both thermodynamically and experimentally that fuel-cell grade hydrogen can be produced by a one-step sorption enhanced water gas shift (SEWGS) process at about 500 oC, where the water gas shift (WGS) catalyst and the CO2 sorbent are highly integrated. A synthetic CaO-based mixed oxide sorbent was also assessed, which showed a good CO2 capture capacity and stability in ...

Mechanistic kinetic models were postulated for the catalytic steam reforming of concentrated crude ethanol on a Ni-based commercial catalyst at atmosphere pressure in the temperature range of 673-863 K, and at different catalyst weight to the crude ethanol molar flow rate ratio (in the range 0.9645-9.6451 kg catalyst h/kg mole crude ethanol) in a stainless steel packed bed tubular microreactor....

This study addresses the development of a compact reactor for oxidative steam-reforming of methanol (OSRM) to produce hydrogen in autothermal mode for fuel cells. The string reactor uses catalytically active brass wires with a diameter of 500 mm placed in parallel into a tube. The micro-channels in the reactor for gases are formed between the wires presenting hydrodynamics similar to the one in...

Glycerol is the main byproduct of biodiesel production and its increased production volume derives from the increasing demand for biofuels. The conversion of glycerol to hydrogen-rich mixtures presents an attractive route towards sustainable biodiesel production. Here we explored the use of Pt/Al(2)O(3)-based catalysts for the catalytic steam reforming of glycerol, evidencing the influence of L...