(387e) An Outlook on Hydrogen Production from Bio-Ethanol Reforming Reactions By Membrane Reactor Technology: Opportunities and Challenges

Our dependence on fossil fuels as the primary energy source, has led to an energy crisis due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the subsequent warming of the globe [1]. In response to these two concerns, continuous efforts are ongoing to search for clean and renewable alternatives. In this context, hydrogen is recognized as one of the most promising energy carriers of the future. Unfortunately, hydrogen is not available in the Earth in elementary form and is currently produced primarily from steam reforming of natural gas, an energy-intensive process.

However, different methods, such as alcohol-reforming reactions, and alternative devices, such as membrane reactors, have being receiving great attention for the production and separation of high-purity hydrogen. Specifically, alcohols may be largely available from renewable sources and they could be used as ‘bio-feedstock’ for hydrogen generation via reforming reactions. In particular, bio-ethanol constitutes an important bio-source that, compared to other renewable liquid fuels such as methanol, glycerol, acetic acid, diethylether, etc., appears to be more suitable due to its very low toxicity and volatility in addition to its high hydrogen content [2]. Membrane reactor technology seems to represent a valid choice for substituting the conventional process due to its ability of combining reaction and separation in a single stage [3].

Hence, the current study reviews the most relevant scientific results on hydrogen production from bio-ethanol reforming processes performed through membrane reactor technology. The benefits and the main challenges of inorganic membrane reactors, when applied to ethanol-reforming processes, are examined and the performances in terms of hydrogen yield, hydrogen recovery, and conversion are compared to those of conventional systems.

References

[1] M. Ni, D.Y.C. Leung, M.K.H Leung, K. Sumathy, An overview of hydrogen production from biomass, Int. J. Hydrogen En., 87 (2006) 461–472.

[2] G. Maggio, S. Freni, S. Cavallaro, Light alcohols/methane fuelled molten carbonate fuel cells: a comparative study, J. Power Sou., 74 (1998) 17-23.

[3] A. Iulianelli, S. Liguori, A. Vita, C. Italiano, C. Fabiano, Y. Huang, A. Basile, The oncoming energy vector: hydrogen produced in Pd-composite membrane reactor via bioethanol reforming over Ni/CeO₂ catalyst, Catal. Today, 259 (2015) 368-375