D. Wang et al., BIOMASS TO HYDROGEN VIA FAST PYROLYSIS AND CATALYTIC STEAM REFORMING OF THE PYROLYSIS OIL OR ITS FRACTIONS, Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 36(5), 1997, pp. 1507-1518
Pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass and reforming of the pyroligneous
oils are being studied as a strategy for producing hydrogen. A proces
s of this nature has the potential to be cost competitive with convent
ional means of producing hydrogen. We propose a regionalized system of
hydrogen production, where small- and medium-sized pyrolysis units (<
500 Mg/day) provide bio-oil to a central reforming unit to be catalyt
ically converted to H-2 and CO2. Thermodynamic modeling of the major c
onstituents of the bio-oil has shown that reforming is possible within
a wide range of temperatures and steam-to-carbon ratios. In addition,
screening tests aimed at catalytic reforming of model compounds to hy
drogen using Ni-based catalysts have achieved essentially complete con
version to Ha. Existing data on the catalytic reforming of oxygenates
have been studied to guide catalyst selection. A process diagram for t
he pyrolysis and reforming operations is discussed, as are initial pro
duction cost estimates. A window of opportunity clearly exists if the
bio-oil is first refined to yield valuable oxygenates so that only a r
esidual fraction is used for hydrogen production.