(111g) Aqueous Phase Reforming of Biomass In Microreactor

Aqueous phase reforming (APR) of biomass is an attractive method to directly produce hydrogen under mild conditions. APR can process a variety of bio-feedstocks and produces virtually CO free hydrogen using a series of reforming reactions in the water phase at typically 473 K and 25 bar. Additional advantages are the low energy input and the aqueous processing, which prevents the need to dry biomass. Noble metal catalysts, especially platinum, have a high activity for this reaction and are stable. Only a small amount of CO produced since the reaction is performed in the water phase and the reforming catalysts used are also effective water gas shift catalysts.

In our research we are developing a catalytic microreactor for APR. We are developing this reactor in such a way that it is possible to remove the hydrogen produced from the reactor using membrane modules. Hydrogen removal will greatly enhance the performance of the reactor, since hydrogen is inhibiting the reaction rate. In addition, the APR catalyst also consumes hydrogen in a competitive undesired hydrogenation of the biofeeds, producing alkanes.

This presentation will focus on the development of the catalytic APR microreactor, showing results of kinetic experiments, the effect of hydrogen on the reaction, and the enhancements to the process that can be obtained by using a reactor in which hydrogen is removed continuously.