Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Vegetable Oils Using Nickel-Based Catalysts

Abstract

Vegetable oils and fats are a renewable resource derived from biomass that can contribute to reduce the net emission of CO2 into the atmosphere if used to produce hydrogen for fuel-cell-based energy systems. In this paper, we present the results of the steam reforming of several vegetable oils with three different nickel-based commercial catalysts (ICI 46-1, ICI 46-4, and UCI G90C) and two research catalysts (UdeS and HT). The experiments were performed in an isothermal fixed-bed tubular reactor at steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratios of 9, 6, and 3 and temperatures between 500 and 630 °C. High space velocities of 0.76−1.90 molcarbon/(gcat h) were used so that conversions of the feed would be incomplete. Hydrogen productions were from 0.3 to 7.5 molH2/(gNi h) depending on the operating conditions. The HT catalyst, which was prepared from a hydrotalcite-like precursor, seems promising for steam reforming vegetable oils because of its very high activity per gram of catalyst. Results for the steam reforming of sunflower, rapeseed, corn, and soybean oils at the same catalyst temperature and S/C ratio show that oil conversion to gases and hydrogen yields do not depend on the type of vegetable oil. This indicates that the process might be suitable for producing hydrogen from residual oils and fats from food processing, for which process economics are more favorable.