(586d) Kinetic Study of Autothermal Reforming of Glycerol Using a Dual Layer Monolith Catalyst

Kinetic
study of autothermal reforming of glycerol using dual layer monolith catalyst

Yujia Liu^a*,
Bi Chen^a, Robert Farrauto^b Adeniyi Lawal^a

^a New
Jersey Center for MicroChemical Systems, Dept. of
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology,
Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA

^bBASF Catalysts, 25 Middlesex
Turnpike, Iselin, NJ 08830, USA

Crude
glycerol is a by-product during biodiesel production via transesterification
of triglycerides. The conversion of glycerol to synthesis gas and then to
methanol represents an important niche for crude glycerol processing that could
relieve small biodiesel producers from high glycerol disposal cost while
reducing their dependence on methanol from fossil fuels. The autothermal
reforming (ATR) of glycerol into synthesis gas (syngas) was studied using the
BASF dual layer monolith catalyst.

This
paper presents an approach for developing the kinetic model for the ATR of
glycerol. The determination of reaction pathways/mechanisms on one hand and
chemical kinetics and parameter estimations on the other make up the two vital
aspects of kinetic modeling of catalytic processes. A LHHW type rate model is
developed and subjected to parameter estimation and model discrimination. The
kinetic parameters in conjunction with the kinetic equations can then be used
as a design tool for process scale-up.