A Novel Integrated Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Solar Catalytic Reforming Method for Enhanced Hydrogen Generation from Biomass

Anuradha Shende¹, Richa Tungal¹, Rajneesh Jaswal¹ and Rajesh Shende^1,

¹Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA

Cite this paper:
Anuradha Shende, Richa Tungal, Rajneesh Jaswal and Rajesh Shende. A Novel Integrated Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Solar Catalytic Reforming Method for Enhanced Hydrogen Generation from Biomass. American Journal of Energy Research. 2015; 3(1):1-7. doi: 10.12691/ajer-3-1-1

Abstract

Short energy intensive hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of biomass in the presence of Ni salt catalyst selectively generates H₂ in the product gas and biocrude mainly containing C₁-C₃ acids (formic, lactic, propionic, acetic), HMF and furfural. The H₂ mass balance indicated that only 3.12 vol% H₂ in biomass (cotton) was released as product gas; 48.7 vol% was captured in the C₁-C₃ acids while the remainder H₂ was trapped in oxygenated compounds and char. Continuing HTL after 120 minutes caused no further increase in gas phase H₂ yields. To enhance the H₂ yields with minimal energy input, solar photocatalytic reforming (PR) of the biocrude with Pt/TiO₂ catalyst was investigated. Photocatalysis of activated carbon (AC) treated biocrude generated an additional H₂, 17.82 wt%. H₂ yields from photoreforming of simulated biocrude acid mixture and actual biocrude were compared. Enhanced H₂ generation was observed with integrated HTL-PR of biomass.

Keywords:
hydrogen hydrothermal liquefaction cotton photoreforming biocrude

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