Production of Hydrogen-Rich Gas Through Pyrolysis of Biomass in a Two-Stage Reactor

Abstract

Biomass is quite abundant in the world, particularly in some countries like China. China has large quantities of straw and/or stalk-origin biomass resources and the attention is currently being paid to the exploitation of these resources to produce energy products via different technical solutions, among of which pyrolysis of biomass to produce hydrogen-rich gas is very promising as hydrogen is a very clear energy carrier. In this work, pyrolysis of rice straw, corn stalk and sawdust was carried out in a two-stage reactor (the first-stage reactor is a conventional fixed-bed pyrolyser, and the second-stage reactor is a catalytic fixed bed) to produce hydrogen-rich gas. The effect of catalytic bed on the pyrolysis behaviour have been investigated, with the emphasis on final product particularly hydrogen. The operation of the catalytic reactor appears significant in promoting biomass pyrolysis towards the production of gaseous products, especially hydrogen. At 750°C of the pyrolyser with rice straw as fuel, the use of the catalytic bed leads to the increases of gas yield from 0.41 Nm3/kg to 0.50 Nm3/kg, approximately 22% increase, and of H2 concentration from 33.79% to 50.80% in volume, approximately 50.3% increase, respectively. Compared with calcined dolomite, fresh nickel-based catalyst shows stronger catalytic effect on the pyrolysis of rice straw as its use in the catalytic bed results in the increase of gas yield from 0.41 Nm3/kg to 0.56 Nm3/kg, approximately 36.6% increase, and the increase of H2 concentration from 33.79% to 59.55% in volume, approximately 76.2% increase. Furthermore, two catalysts follow the same trend for the pyrolysis of corn stalk and sawdust. At temperature of 815°C, catalysts also follow the same trend. Catalytic bed can significantly reduce the level of tar which is carried out with the producer gas, to less than 1% of original level. Catalyst load or gas space velocity (hourly) has the influence on the gas yield and H2 concentration. 30% of load, i.e. gas space velocity (hourly) 0.9 × 104 h−1, appears reasonable. Beyond that, gas yield and H2 concentration remain almost unchanged.

Methanol Steam Reforming for Hydrogen Production

“…There are a wide range of biomass sources, such as animal wastes, municipal solid wastes, crop residues, short rotation woody crops, agricultural wastes, sawdust, aquatic plants, short rotation herbaceous species (e.g., switch grass), waste paper, corn, and many more. For hydrogen generation, the current biomass technologies include the following: gasification, − conversion to liquid fuels by supercritical extraction, liquefaction, hydrolysis, and biological hydrogen production. , …”

Pyrolysis in the Chemical Industry and Its Major Industrial Applications

“…The operation of the catalytic reactor appears to be significant in promoting biomass pyrolysis towards the production of gaseous products, especially hydrogen. The catalytic bed can significantly reduce the level of tar which is carried out with the producer gas to less than 1% of its original level (G. Chen et al, 2008).…”

Moving ahead from hydrogen to methanol economy: scope and challenges

“…The process has low thermal efficiency, since the moisture present in the biomass has to be vaporized (Yamada, 2006). The process can be performed without or with a catalyst (G. Chen et al, 2004) and in a fluidized bed or fixed bed reactor with fluidized bed reactor having higher conversion efficiency (Asadullah et al, 2002). Some of the catalysts and feedstock used for hydrogen production are given in Table 2.…”