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Title: Hydrogen from biomass-production by steam reforming of biomass pyrolysis oil

Journal Article · · Catalysis Today

Thermo-conversion of biomass is one of the leading near-term options for renewable production of hydrogen and has the potential to provide a significant fraction of transportation fuel required in the future. We propose a two-step process that starts with fast pyrolysis of biomass, which generates high yields of a liquid product, bio-oil, followed by catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil to produce hydrogen. A major advantage of such a concept results from the fact that bio-oil is much easier and less expensive to transport than either biomass or hydrogen. Therefore, the processing of biomass and the production of hydrogen can be performed at separate locations, optimized with respect to feedstock supply and to hydrogen distribution infrastructure. This approach makes the process very well suited for both centralized and distributed hydrogen production. This work demonstrates reforming of bio-oil in a bench-scale fluidized bed system and provides hydrogen yields obtained using several commercial and custom-made catalysts.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1344747
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-510-42608
Journal Information:
Catalysis Today, Vol. 129, Issue 3-4; ISSN 0920-5861
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English