2009 Spring Meeting & 5th Global Congress on Process Safety

(3d) Hydrogen Production from NON-Thermal Plasma Ethanol and Glycerol Reforming

Authors

Hoang, T. - Presenter, Center for Biomass Refining, University of Oklahoma
Zhu, X. - Presenter, the University of Oklahoma
Mallinson, R. - Presenter, University of Oklahoma
Lobban, L. - Presenter, University of Oklahoma


Production of hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles, mobile power generators, and for hydrogen enhanced internal combustion engines from biomass sources is a potential path to a green hydrogen economy component. However, traditional catalytic reformers have several problems for smaller scale applications. Hydrogen production from non-thermal plasma is an alternative approach with recently encouraging results. A steam reformer using non-thermal plasma with WGS catalyst has developed to produce hydrogen directly from bio-ethanol (water content can be up to 65% in volume). High conversion is obtained at 96.4%. CO levels have been reduced to less than 1% with insitu WGS catalyst.