Publication Date:
2012-04-15
Description:
A thermodynamic analysis is performed with a Gibbs free energy minimization method to compare the conventional steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) process and sorption-enhanced SRE (SE-SRE) with three different sorbents, namely, CaO, Li 2 ZrO 3 , and hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTlc). As a result, the use of a CO 2 adsorbent can enhance the hydrogen yield and provide a lower CO content in the product gas at the same time. The best performance of SE-SRE is found to be at 500 °C with an HTlc sorbent. Nearly 6 moles hydrogen per mole ethanol can be produced, when the CO content in the vent stream is less than 10 ppm, so that the hydrogen produced via SE-SRE with HTlc sorbents can be directly used for fuel cells. Higher pressures do not favor the overall SE-SRE process due to lower yielding of hydrogen, although CO 2 adsorption is enhanced. The current research status of thermodynamic analysis on ethanol steam reforming (SRE) and sorption-enhanced SRE (SE-SRE) is surveyed. Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTlc), CaO, and Li 2 ZrO 3 as three typical CO 2 sorbents for SE-SRE are compared for the first time. The simulated results agree well with other publications.
Print ISSN:
0930-7516
Electronic ISSN:
1521-4125
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
