A review of research trends in the enhancement of biomass-to-hydrogen conversion

Abstract

Different types of biomass are being examined for their optimum hydrogen production potentials and actual hydrogen yields in different experimental setups and through different chemical synthetic routes. In this review, the observations emanating from research findings on the assessment of hydrogen synthesis kinetics during fermentation and gasification of different types of biomass substrates have been concisely surveyed from selected publications. This review revisits the recent progress reported in biomass-based hydrogen synthesis in the 2 associated disciplines of microbial cell immobilization, bioreactor design and analysis, ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted and ionic liquid-assisted biomass pretreatments, development of new microbial strains, integrated production schemes, applications of nanocatalysis, subcritical and supercritical water processing, use of algae-based substrates and lastly inhibitor detoxification. The main observations from this review are that cell immobilization assists in optimizing the biomass fermentation performance by enhancing bead size, providing for adequate cell loading and improving mass transfer; there are novel and more potent bacterial and fungal strains which improve the fermentation process and impact on hydrogen yields positively; application of microwave irradiation and sonication and the use of ionic liquids in biomass pretreatment bring about enhanced delignification, and that supercritical water biomass processing and dosing with metal-based nanoparticles also assist in enhancing the kinetics of hydrogen synthesis. The research areas discussed in this work and their respective impacts on hydrogen synthesis from biomass are arguably standalone. Thence, further work is still required to explore the possibilities and techno-economic implications of combining these areas for developing robust and integrated biomass-to-hydrogen synthetic schemes.

Role of Catalysis in Biofuels Production Process – A Review

“…This renewable fuel reduces the environmental impact and dependency on fossil fuels [176]. Biohydrogen is recognized as a cleaner fuel source that has no greenhouse gas production upon its utilization [177]. For hydrogen production, a systematic approach is required which is based on principles of green chemistry and engineering [178].…”

CFD-DEM Simulation of Biomass Pyrolysis in Fluidized-Bed Reactor with a Multistep Kinetic Scheme

“…These fuels can be used for power generation or serve as an alternative to fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Recently, the conversion of biomass to valuable energetic products such as hydrogen is a good example [6,7]. Contemporary biomass conversion technology in fluidized-bed reactors also include oxy-combustion, chemical looping combustion, etc., [8][9][10], which could remarkably improve the conversion efficiency and reduce CO 2 emissions that otherwise constitute a major cause of global warming in traditional coal combustion [11][12][13].…”

Photocatalytic reforming of glycerol to H2 in a thin film Pt‐TiO2 recirculating photoreactor

“…The reforming of waste compounds and biomass for the generation of hydrogen (H 2 ) has been shown to be a viable and potentially cost‐effective method for alternative energy 1–5 . In recent years, photocatalytic applications have turned their attention towards bioenergy and reforming processes with a view towards both energy production and value‐added products 6–8 .…”