Dry reforming of biogas in fluidized bed: Process intensification

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 42; no. 19; pp. 13589 - 13597
• Main Authors: Ugarte, P., Durán, P., Lasobras, J., Soler, J., Menéndez, M., Herguido, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 11-05-2017
• Subjects: Biogas; Dry reforming; Fluidized bed; Hydrogen; Membranes; Dry reforming; Membranes; Biogas; Hydrogen; Fluidized bed
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.12.124

Biogas is a renewable resource obtained mainly from the anaerobic fermentation of agro-industrial and anthropogenic residues. The production of hydrogen by dry reforming of methane represents a potential application for this renewable energy carrier. This could play a positive contribution towards meeting the challenge of providing a global supply of energetically sustainable and environmentally friendly energy. This work combines a catalytic reaction, a separation and the catalyst regeneration in a single reactor. To this end, a two zone fluidized bed reactor (TZFBR) with hydrogen selective membranes has been employed (TZFBR + MB). The operating conditions for the process of dry reforming of biogas have been optimized experimentally, both in TZFBR and TZFBR + MB. Several catalysts were prepared (Ni/Al2O3, NiCe/Al2O3, NiCo/Al2O3), characterized and tested in reactions in both TZFBR and in TZFBR + MB. Finally, the influence of using oxygen or carbon dioxide as regenerating gases in the process has been studied. Experimental results show the feasibility of using CO2 for in situ catalyst regeneration, avoiding the potential problems associated with the use of O2.
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•Simultaneous dry reforming of CH4, catalyst regeneration and H2 separation.•Use of hydrogen selective membranes in a two-zone fluidized bed reactor.•Steady state operation was achieved, by counteracting catalyst deactivation.•Increased conversion and H2/CO ratio by using hydrogen selective membranes.•CO2 was used as regenerating gas for in situ removal of coke.