(94e) H2 Production by Means of Autothermal Reforming for Fuel Cell Automotive Applications

During the last few years, concerns with distribution, supply and cost of conventional liquid fuels increased considerably. Furthermore, the greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and dependence on imported oil also add to these concerns. An alternative methodology to provide renewable source energy in the transportation sector is Autothermal Reforming (ATR) in combination with fuel cell technologies. Presently, the department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) works in the development of a reforming catalyst characterization program. The purpose of this research is to study the viability of using a new catalyst to convert Biodiesel, Glycerin and Methanol to a hydrogen rich product gas and compare their production potential, identify the conditions for the accumulation of coke and determine the influence of reactor temperature and water to carbon (H₂O/C) and oxygen to carbon (O₂/C) ratios. A Basket Stirred Tank Reactor (BSTR), Plug Flow Reactor (PFR), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer (GCMS) and Gas Chromatography Thermal Conductivity Detector (GCTCD), and Pt and Rh-based catalyst synthesized at ANL were used. During the preliminary ATR experiments, methanol, glycerol and biodiesel showed an increase in H₂ production with decreasing O₂/C ratio and increases in the temperature reactor. The ATR with biodiesel as fuel and Pt-based catalyst resulted in an exit gas concentration of 20% H₂. Also, in methanol experiments without catalyst H₂ production was not observed between 300-600°F. In methanol experiments with catalyst, H₂ production was observed starting approximately at 300°F. ATR Glycerin without catalyst showed an exit gas concentration of 25% H₂, 10% CO, 50% CH₄ and 35% CO₂ at 900°F. Additionally, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis has been performed in some of the catalysts samples. All biodiesel and glycerol experiments performed had shown coke formation. Future research will include, experiments with bio-ethanol and methane as fuel using a Ni-based catalyst synthesized at ANL. In addition, a stainless steel plug flow reactor will be used.

Keywords: H₂ production, ATR, Renewable Fuels