DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Advancing hydrogen production: A comprehensive review of wastewater reforming techniques, feedstocks, and opportunities

Journal Article · · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
  2. University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
  3. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Wastewater is produced across nearly all human activities and requires treatment to safeguard human health and the natural environment. Treatment of wastewater often requires a large amount of thermal energy, resulting in wasted heat after the treatment process. Because hydrocarbon reforming needs both water and heat, the integration of wastewater treatment with hydrocarbon reforming, a process that produces synthesis gas rich in hydrogen, offers an excellent opportunity to utilize this waste heat and the impurities in wastewater to produce valuable hydrogen gas, to minimize waste from industrial processes, and to integrate water treatment with the hydrogen economy. Yet, no comprehensive literature review has been conducted to examine the integration of reforming and wastewater. To address this lack, we summarize the variety of catalytic reforming techniques available in the open literature and review the current literature on wastewater reforming with these techniques. Subsequently, we conduct a review of common types of wastewater contaminants and their possible effects on reforming catalyst performance and life. Lastly, three underexamined wastewater sources are identified, namely, oilfield wastewater, geothermal water, and mining and mineral processing wastewater, and their potential for future study as a reforming feedstock is examined.

Research Organization:
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; FE0032337
OSTI ID:
3022308
Journal Information:
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Journal Name: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Vol. 230; ISSN 1364-0321
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (186)

CO Hydrogenation on Cobalt-Based Catalysts: Tin Poisoning Unravels CO in Hollow Sites as a Main Surface Intermediate journal December 2017
Carbon Deposit Analysis in Catalyst Deactivation, Regeneration, and Rejuvenation journal May 2023
Simultaneous H2 Production and Bleaching via Solar Photoreforming of Model Dye‐polluted Wastewaters on Metal/Titania journal November 2020
Hydrogen Production from Catalytic Steam Reforming of Bio‐Oils: A Critical Review journal March 2020
Geothermal energy use in hydrogen production: A review journal August 2019
Developmental effects of the industrial cooling water additives morpholine and sodium hypochlorite on lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) journal December 2016
Composition of a domestic sewage journal June 1959
Removal of heavy metals and cyanide from gold mine wastewater journal February 2010
Molecular composition of dissolved organic matter in the Mediterranean Sea: Molecular composition of dissolved organic matter journal June 2017
Review of Hydrogen Production by Catalytic Aqueous-Phase Reforming journal July 2017
An Analytical Review of Different Approaches to Wastewater Discharge Standards with Particular Emphasis on Nutrients journal August 2020
Hydrogen production from wastewater, storage, economy, governance and applications: a review journal August 2022
Techniques for Overcoming Sulfur Poisoning of Catalyst Employed in Hydrocarbon Reforming journal August 2021
Deactivation of a Ni-Based Reforming Catalyst During the Upgrading of the Producer Gas, from Simulated to Real Conditions journal May 2011
Enhanced removal of ethanolamine from secondary system of nuclear power plant wastewater by novel hybrid nano zero-valent iron and pressurized ozone initiated oxidation process journal June 2017
Photocatalysis: an effective tool for photodegradation of dyes—a review journal September 2021
Solar distillation meets the real world: a review of solar stills purifying real wastewater and seawater journal January 2022
Diversity of marine microbes in a changing Mediterranean Sea journal September 2014
Recent progress, economic potential, and environmental benefits of mineral recovery geothermal brine treatment systems journal April 2022
Catalytic reforming of oxygenated hydrocarbons for the hydrogen production: an outlook journal October 2020
Textile dye wastewater characteristics and constituents of synthetic effluents: a critical review journal November 2018
Photocatalytic Reforming of Biomass: What Role Will the Technology Play in Future Energy Systems journal June 2022
Economics of seawater RO desalination in the Red Sea region, Egypt. Part 1. A case study journal February 2003
Liquid chromatographic determination of morpholine and its thermal breakdown products in steam-water cycles at nuclear power plants journal January 1989
Deactivation of reforming catalysts by coking - a review journal June 1986
Poisoning of nickel catalysts by arsenic journal January 1984
Characterization of olive mill wastewater (alpechin) and its sludge for agricultural purposes journal February 1999
Analytical methodologies for the determination of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewage sludge: A critical review journal November 2019
A detailed kinetic model for biogas steam reforming on Ni and catalyst deactivation due to sulfur poisoning journal February 2014
A comparison of H2S, SO2, and COS poisoning on Ni/YSZ and Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 during methane steam and dry reforming journal August 2015
Comparative study on steam reforming of model aromatic compounds of biomass tar over Ni and Ni–Fe alloy nanoparticles journal October 2015
Catalytic activities and resistance to HCl poisoning of Ni-based catalysts during steam reforming of naphthalene journal May 2018
Enhancement of photoinduced hydrogen production from irradiated Pt/TiO2 suspensions with simultaneous degradation of azo-dyes journal May 2006
Production of hydrogen from brewery wastewater by aqueous phase reforming with Pt/C catalysts journal May 2019
High temperature steam gasification of wastewater sludge journal December 2010
Diesel autothermal reforming with hydrogen peroxide for low-oxygen environments journal October 2015
Study of particulate matter and gaseous emissions in gasoline direct injection engine using on-board exhaust gas fuel reforming journal October 2016
Tunable H2/CO syngas production from co-gasification integrated with steam reforming of sewage sludge and agricultural biomass: A experimental study journal July 2023
Geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin, USA: Assessing potential effects of shale-oil production on groundwater quality journal February 2021
Design and optimization of a steam methane reformer for ship-based hydrogen production on LNG-fueled ship journal April 2024
Residual steam/CH4 reforming strategy over pinewood-derived 10Ni-xNb2O5-yCaO/Al2O3 for in situ desulfurization from industrial raw syngas journal October 2022
Pollutants released from the pulp paper industry: Aquatic toxicity and their health hazards journal June 2019
Biomass-to-hydrogen: A review of main routes production, processes evaluation and techno-economical assessment journal January 2021
Occurrence and dissipation mechanism of organic pollutants during the composting of sewage sludge: A critical review journal May 2021
Recent advances in black liquor valorization journal April 2022
Tri-reforming of methane: a novel concept for catalytic production of industrially useful synthesis gas with desired H2/CO ratios journal December 2004
Issues in H2 and synthesis gas technologies for refinery, GTL and small and distributed industrial needs journal October 2005
Reforming of methane over noble metal catalysts: Catalyst deactivation induced by thiophene journal May 2009
Methane steam reforming at low temperature: Effect of light alkanes’ presence on coke formation journal March 2015
Rapid evaluation of coke resistance in catalysts for methane reforming using low steam-to-carbon ratio journal July 2018
Recent advances in Pb resistance over SCR catalysts: Reaction mechanisms and anti-inactivation measures journal June 2023
Production of hydrogen in a Pd-membrane reactor via catalytic reforming of olive mill wastewater journal September 2015
Photocatalytic hydrogen production with purification of wastewater from nuclear power plant under irradiation of liquid phase plasma journal April 2020
Integration of hydrothermal carbonization and aqueous phase reforming for energy recovery from sewage sludge journal August 2022
Ultra-stable porous yolk-shell Ni catalysts for the steam reforming of methane with alkali poisoning journal February 2023
Aqueous phase reforming of starch wastewater over Pt and Pt-based bimetallic catalysts for green hydrogen production journal March 2023
Continuous aqueous phase reforming of a synthetic brewery wastewater with Pt/C and PtRe/C catalysts for biohydrogen production journal October 2021
Microplastics act as a carrier for wastewater-borne pathogenic bacteria in sewage journal August 2022
A critical and recent developments on adsorption technique for removal of heavy metals from wastewater-A review journal September 2022
Techno-economic analysis of the olive oil mill wastewater steam reforming process: A case-study journal August 2022
Wastewater treatment and water reuse journal April 2018
Design and results of a first generation pilot plant for supercritical water desalination (SCWD) journal August 2018
Analysis of the energy consumption of supercritical water desalination (SCWD) journal January 2020
Inorganic salts in sub-/supercritical water—Part A: Behavior characteristics and mechanisms journal December 2020
Energy efficient supercritical water desalination using a high-temperature heat pump: A zero liquid discharge desalination journal June 2021
A novel approach for produced water treatment: Supercritical water oxidation and desalination journal June 2022
Dynamic modelling and simulation of industrial scale multistage flash desalination process journal May 2023
Parameters that affect the photodegradation of dyes and pigments in solution and on substrate – An overview journal February 2023
Prediction of acid mine drainage: Where we are journal June 2023
Environmental impact assessment of hydrogen production via steam methane reforming based on emissions data journal November 2022
Hydrogen production through chemical looping and sorption-enhanced reforming of olive mill wastewater: Thermodynamic and energy efficiency analysis journal June 2021
On-site production of high-purity hydrogen from raw biogas with fixed-bed chemical looping journal September 2022
Prediction and optimization of hydrogen-rich gas production from sewage sludge via a combined process of hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis, and reforming journal October 2023
Geothermal reforming crude glycerol to hydrogen journal February 2024
Autothermal reforming of distillery wastewater: Thermodynamic modelling and experimental results journal June 2024
Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines and proton exchange membrane fuel cells on long haul applications journal July 2024
Study on the reaction pathways of steam methane reforming for H2 production journal September 2020
Natural gas reforming in thermochemical waste-heat recuperation systems: A review journal July 2022
Process simulation and techno-economic analysis of olive oil mill wastewater steam reforming journal September 2023
Investigating the effect of renewable energy incentives and hydrogen storage on advantages of stakeholders in a microgrid journal February 2018
An overview of removing heavy metals from sewage sludge: Achievements and perspectives journal November 2020
Olive mill wastewater microconstituents composition according to olive variety and extraction process journal October 2016
Effect of gas phase alkali species on tar reforming catalyst performance: Initial characterization and method development journal August 2015
Chemical deactivation of Selective Catalytic Reduction catalyst: Investigating the influence and mechanism of SeO2 poisoning journal June 2020
The water gas shift reaction: Catalysts and reaction mechanism journal March 2021
Simultaneous wastewater treatment and generation of blended fuel methane and hydrogen using Au-Pt/TiO2 photo-reforming catalytic material journal May 2021
Steam reforming of sugars: Roles of hydroxyl group and carbonyl group in coke formation journal May 2021
Continuous aqueous phase reforming of wastewater streams: A catalyst deactivation study journal December 2021
Steam reforming of sugar and its derivatives: Functionality dictates thermal properties and morphologies of coke journal January 2022
Combined effect of bio-oil composition and temperature on the stability of Ni spinel derived catalyst for hydrogen production by steam reforming journal October 2022
Recent advances in heavy metal poisoning mechanism and regeneration methods of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitration catalyst journal January 2024
Evaluation of Pt/TiO2-Nb2O5 systems in the photocatalytic reforming of glucose for the generation of H2 from industrial effluents journal May 2024
A comprehensive review on steam reforming of liquid hydrocarbon fuels: Research advances and Prospects journal July 2024
Cheese whey management by catalytic steam reforming and aqueous phase reforming journal December 2016
Modeling of the catalytic cracking: Catalyst deactivation by coke and heavy metals journal April 2020
Production of high-purity hydrogen from paper recycling black liquor via sorption enhanced steam reforming journal October 2021
Exergy analysis of hydrogen production via steam methane reforming journal December 2007
Catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil journal April 2012
The hydrogen economy: Its history journal February 2013
Thermodynamics of hydrogen production from urea by steam reforming with and without in situ carbon dioxide sorption journal August 2013
Catalytic steam reforming of olive mill wastewater for hydrogen production journal June 2015
Environmental impact assessment and comparison of some hydrogen production options journal June 2015
Catalytic effects of inherent alkali and alkaline earth metallic species on steam gasification of biomass journal December 2015
Hydrogen production from pyrolysis catalytic reforming of cellulose in the presence of K alkali metal journal July 2016
Co-application of liquid phase plasma process for hydrogen production and degradation of acetaldehyde over Ni TiO2 supported on porous materials journal September 2017
Syngas from catalytic steam reforming of palm oil mill effluent: An optimization study journal April 2019
Incentives and legal barriers for power-to-hydrogen pathways: An international snapshot journal May 2019
Simultaneous hydrogen production and pollutant degradation by photocatalysis of wastewater using liquid phase plasma journal September 2020
Impact of bioethanol impurities on steam reforming for hydrogen production: A review journal April 2020
Experimental investigation on H2S and SO2 sulphur poisoning and regeneration of a commercially available Ni-catalyst during methane tri-reforming journal January 2021
Photoreforming of model carbohydrate mixtures from pulping industry wastewaters journal December 2022
Plasma reforming for hydrogen production: Pathways, reactors and storage journal January 2023
Recent advances in the catalysis of steam reforming of methane (SRM) journal January 2024
Review of autothermal reactors: Catalysis, reactor design, and processes journal May 2024
Removal of toxic HCN and recovery of H2-rich syngas via catalytic reforming of product gas from gasification of polyimide over Ni/Mg/Al catalysts journal January 2017
Acid mine drainage: Prevention, treatment options, and resource recovery: A review journal May 2017
Ecological analysis of hydrogen production via biogas steam reforming from cassava flour processing wastewater journal September 2017
A techno-economic evaluation of the energy generation by proton exchange membrane fuel cell using biogas reforming journal November 2018
Treatment and valorisation of fruit juice wastewater by aqueous phase reforming: Effect of pH, organic load and salinity journal April 2020
The techno-economics potential of hydrogen interconnectors for electrical energy transmission and storage journal February 2022
Renewable hydrogen production perspective in Serbia via biogas generated from food processing wastewaters journal August 2022
An overview of treatment techniques to remove ore flotation reagents from mining wastewater journal December 2023
Thermal treatment of sewage sludge in Germany: A review journal June 2020
A comparative review on clean hydrogen production from wastewaters journal February 2021
Review of technologies for oil and gas produced water treatment journal October 2009
Effective anaerobic treatment of produced water from petroleum production using an anaerobic digestion inoculum from a brewery wastewater treatment facility journal April 2021
Characterization of produced water and surrounding surface water in the Permian Basin, the United States journal May 2022
Harvesting hydrogen from polymer industry wastewater: Aqueous-phase reforming of 1,5-pentanediol journal April 2024
Spatial and seasonal variability of particulate matter optical and size properties in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea journal December 2012
Thermodynamic analysis of olive oil mill wastewater steam reforming journal October 2019
High pressure autothermal reforming in low oxygen environments journal February 2009
Sewage treatment using Aqueous Phase Reforming for reuse purpose journal October 2020
CO2-permselective membrane reactor for steam reforming of methane journal January 2022
Deactivation of FCC catalysts journal September 2008
A review of issues, characteristics, and management for wastewater due to hydraulic fracturing in the U.S. journal July 2021
Municipal wastewater treatment technologies: A review journal January 2019
Harnessing renewable hydrogen-rich syngas from valorization of palm oil mill effluent (POME) using steam reforming technique journal August 2019
Screening of commercial catalysts for steam reforming of olive mill wastewater journal May 2021
Valorization of olive mill wastewater via autothermal reforming for hydrogen production journal December 2023
Influencing factors of water electrolysis electrical efficiency journal August 2012
Glycerol reforming in supercritical water; a short review journal July 2013
Geothermal produced fluids: Characteristics, treatment technologies, and management options journal October 2015
Coke formation and deactivation during catalytic reforming of biomass and waste pyrolysis products: A review journal March 2020
Environmental, economic, and social impacts of geothermal energy systems journal April 2021
Oxidative steam reforming of glycerol. A review journal September 2021
Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation and hydrogen evolution from ethanolamine nuclear wastewater by a liquid phase plasma process journal August 2019
Desalination brine disposal methods and treatment technologies - A review journal November 2019
Waste-to-energy nexus for circular economy and environmental protection: Recent trends in hydrogen energy journal April 2020
Can we beneficially reuse produced water from oil and gas extraction in the U.S.? journal May 2020
Optimization of a renewable hydrogen production system from food waste: A combination of anaerobic digestion and biogas reforming journal May 2022
Recent advances in nitrous oxide production and mitigation in wastewater treatment journal October 2020
Proof-of-Concept of the Integrated Methanol Reforming-Desalination Fuel Cell System: Effect of CO2 and CO on Cell’s Performance journal May 2024
Advances in Resources Recovery of H2S: A Review of Desulfurization Processes and Catalysts journal August 2023
Rare Earth Elements Occurrence and Economical Recovery Strategy from Shale Gas Wastewater in the Sichuan Basin, China journal July 2020
Direct mass spectrometric studies of the destruction of hazardous wastes. 1. Catalytic steam reforming of chlorinated hydrocarbons journal March 1992
Desalination and Reuse of High-Salinity Shale Gas Produced Water: Drivers, Technologies, and Future Directions journal August 2013
Steam Reforming of Sunflower Oil for Hydrogen Production journal June 2000
The effect of impurities on the steam reforming of ethanol over ruthenium/alumina journal January 2014
Hydrogen via reforming aqueous ammonia and biomethane co-products of wastewater treatment: environmental and economic sustainability journal January 2020
Recent advances in graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide based nanocomposites for the photodegradation of dyes journal January 2020
Influence of Wastewater Constituents on Hydrogen Sulfide Emission in Sewer Networks journal December 2005
Dry Reforming of Hydrocarbon Feedstocks journal September 2014
Research progress on scaling mechanism and anti-scaling technology of geothermal well system journal February 2022
Literature review on textile wastewater characterisation journal November 2003
Microbial Pathogens in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) in Hamburg journal March 2015
A review about radioactivity in TENORMs of produced water waste from petroleum industry and its environmental and health effects journal March 2020
Utilization of hydrogen in gas turbines: a comprehensive review journal February 2022
The efficacy of biocides and other chemical additives in cooling water systems in the control of amoebae journal March 2009
The Future of Seawater Desalination: Energy, Technology, and the Environment journal August 2011
Assessing Environmental Policy Impact on Green Innovation Adoption in Pakistan: Role of Financial Incentives and Disincentives as Mediators journal January 2025
Analysis of eutrophication potential of municipal wastewater journal May 2020
Mine Drainage: Characterization, Treatment, Modeling, and Environmental Aspect journal October 2014
Removing Toxic Compounds from Wastewater journal January 2014
Development of Adsorptive Materials for Selective Removal of Toxic Metals in Wastewater: A Review journal September 2022
Catalyst Deactivation and Regeneration Processes in Biogas Tri-Reforming Process. The Effect of Hydrogen Sulfide Addition journal January 2018
Mechanistic Insights into Photodegradation of Organic Dyes Using Heterostructure Photocatalysts journal May 2019
Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Household Energy Systems Including Incentives on Energy Communities and Externalities: A Case Study in Italy journal September 2021
Olive Mill Wastewater Valorization through Steam Reforming Using Multifunctional Reactors: Challenges of the Process Intensification journal January 2022
Predicting Rare Earth Element Potential in Produced and Geothermal Waters of the United States via Emergent Self-Organizing Maps journal June 2022
Energy Consumption in Water/Wastewater Treatment Industry—Optimisation Potentials journal March 2023
Hydrogen Production by Catalytic Supercritical Water Gasification of Black Liquor-Based Wastewater journal April 2023
Microplastics in Wastewater by Washing Polyester Fabrics journal April 2022
Aqueous Phase Reforming of Dairy Wastewater for Hydrogen Production: An Experimental and Energetic Assessment journal February 2024
Evaluation of the Heavy Metals Content in Sewage Sludge from Selected Rural and Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants in Poland in Terms of Its Suitability for Agricultural Use journal June 2024
Heat Recovery from Wastewater—A Review of Available Resource journal April 2021
Membrane Distillation for Wastewater Treatment: A Mini Review journal December 2021

Similar Records

Petroleum processing wastes
Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 UTC 1976 · J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7123685

Steel industry wastes. [Wastewater treatment]
Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 UTC 1982 · J. - Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6603702

Anaerobic processing. [Wastewater treatment]
Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 UTC 1983 · J. - Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5402319