Biomass to hydrogen via fast pyrolysis and catalytic steam reforming
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); and others
Fast pyrolysis of biomass results in a pyrolytic oil which is a mixture of (a) carbohydrate-derived acids, aldehydes and polyols, (b) lignin-derived substituted phenolics, and (c) extractives-derived terpenoids and fatty acids. The conversion of this pyrolysis oil into H{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} is thermodynamically favored under appropriate steam reforming conditions. Our efforts have focused in understanding the catalysis of steam reforming which will lead to a successful process at reasonable steam/carbon ratios arid process severities. The experimental work, carried out at the laboratory and bench scale levels, has centered on the performance of Ni-based catalysts using model compounds as prototypes of the oxygenates present in the pyrolysis oil. Steam reforming of acetic acid, hydroxyacetaldehyde, furfural and syringol has been proven to proceed rapidly within a reasonable range of severities. Time-on-stream studies are now underway using a fixed bed barometric pressure reactor to ascertain the durability of the catalysts and thus substantiate the scientific and technical feasibility of the catalytic reforming option. Economic analyses are being carried out in parallel to determine the opportunity zones for the combined fast pyrolysis/steam reforming approach. A discussion on the current state of the project is presented.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 183303
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-430-20036-Vol.2; CONF-9504160-VOL.2; ON: DE95009296; TRN: 95:008711-0015
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1995 DOE/NREL hydrogen program review, Coral Gables, FL (United States), 18-21 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 1995 US DOE hydrogen program review, Volume II; PB: 876 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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