Tongqi Ye

High efficient conversion of CO2-rich bio-syngas to CO-rich bio-syngas using biomass char: a useful approach for production of bio-methanol from bio-oil

A novel approach for high efficient conversion of the CO(2)-rich bio-syngas into the CO-rich bio-syngas was carried out by using biomass char and Ni/Al(2)O(3) catalyst, which was successfully applied for production of bio-methanol from bio-oil. After the bio-syngas conditioning, the CO(2)/CO ratio prominently dropped from 6.33 to 0.01-0.28. The maximum CO yield in the bio-syngas conditioning process reached about 1.96 mol/(mol CO(2)) with a nearly complete conversion of CO(2) (99.5%). The performance of bio-methanol synthesis was significantly improved via the conditioned bio-syngas, giving a maximum methanol yield of 1.32 kg/(kg(catalyst)h) with a methanol selectivity of 99%. Main reaction paths involved in the bio-syngas conditioning process have been investigated in detail by using different model mixture gases and different carbon sources.

Effects of Current on Microcosmic Properties of Catalyst and Reforming of Bio-oil

Highly effective production of hydrogen from bio-oil was achieved by using a low-temperature electrochemical catalytic reforming approach over the conventional Ni-based reforming catalyst (NiO-Al2O3), where an AC electronic current passed through the catalyst bed. The promoting effects of current on the bio-oil reforming were studied. It was found that the performance of the bio-oil reforming was remarkably enhanced by the current which passed through the catalyst. The effects of currents on the microcosmic properties of the catalyst, including the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, pore diameter, pore volume, the size of the crystallites and the reduction level of NiO into Ni, were carefully characterized by BET, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope. The desorption of the thermal electrons from the electrified catalyst was directly observed by the TOF (time of flight) measurements. The mechanism of the electrochemical catalytic reforming of bio-oil is discussed based on the above investigation.

Production of Hydrogen from Bio-oil Using Low-temperature Electrochemical Catalytic Reforming Approach over CoZnAl Catalyst

High-efficient production of hydrogen from bio-oil was performed by electrochemical catalytic reforming method over the CoZnAl catalyst. The influence of current on the hydrogen yield, carbon conversion, and products distribution were investigated. Both the hydrogen yield and carbon conversion were remarkably enhanced by the current through the catalyst, reaching hydrogen yield of 70% and carbon conversion of 85% at a lower reforming temperature of 500°C. The influence of current on the properties of the CoZnAl catalyst was also characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements. The thermal electrons would play an important role in promoting the reforming reactions of the oxygenated-organic compounds in the bio-oil.

Production of Biofuel from Bio-oil-based Syngas over a FeCuZnAlK Catalyst

Efficient production of clean biofuels using CO2-rich bio-oil-based syngas obtained from bio-oil steam reforming was performed over a Fe1.5Cu1Zn1Al1K0.117 catalyst. The effects of synthesis parameters (temperature, pressure, gas hourly space velocity) on the performance of the biofuel synthesis were investigated. The maximum biofuel yield reaches about 0.63 kg biofuels/(kgcata·h) with a contribution of 0.40 kg alcohols/(kgcata·h) and 0.23 kg liquid hydrocarbons/(kgcata·h). The content of C2+ alcohols (mainly C2–C6 alcohols) in the alcohols products is 87.04–91.15 wt%. Some important elementary steps involved in the biofuel synthesis, including the reverse water-gas shift reaction and methanation, were also investigated in detail.

Highly Efficient Synthesis of Clean Biofuels from Biomass Using FeCuZnAlK Catalyst

Highly efficient synthesis of clean biofuels using the bio-syngas obtained from biomass gasification was performed over Fe1.5 Cu 1 Zn 1Al1K0.117 catalyst. The maximum biofuel yield from the bio-syngas reaches about 1.59 kg biofuels/(kgcatal·h) with a contribution of 0.57 kg alcohols/(kgcatal·h) and 1.02 kg liquid hydrocarbons/(kgcatal·h). The alcohol products in the resulting biofuels were dominated by the C2+ alcohols (mainly C2—C6 alcohols) with a content of 73.55%–89.98%. The selectivity of the liquid hydrocarbons (C5+) in the hydrocarbon products ranges from 60.37% to 70.94%. The synthesis biofuels also possess a higher heat value of 40.53–41.49 MJ/kg. The effects of the synthesis conditions, including temperature, pressure, and gas hourly space velocity, on the biofuel synthesis were investigated in detail. The catalyst features were characterized by inductively coupled plasma and atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed reduction, and the N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms measurements. The present biofuel synthesis with a higher biofuel yield and a higher selectivity of liquid hydrocarbons and C2+ alcohols may be a potentially useful route to produce clean biofuels and chemicals from biomass.

Bio-methanol from Bio-oil Reforming Syngas Using Dual-reactor

A dual-reactor, assembled with the on-line syngas conditioning and methanol synthesis, was successfully applied for high efficient conversion of rich CO2 bio-oil derived syngas to bio-methanol. In the forepart catalyst bed reactor, the catalytic conversion can effectively adjust the rich-CO2 crude bio-syngas into the CO-containing bio-syngas using the CuZnAlZr catalyst. After the on-line syngas conditioning at 450 °C, the CO2/CO ratio in the bio-syngas significantly decreased from 6.3 to 1.2. In the rearward catalyst bed reactor, the conversion of the conditioned bio-syngas to bio-methanol shows the maximum yield about 1.21 kg/(kgcatal·h) MeOH with a methanol selectivity of 97.9% at 260 °C and 5.05 MPa using conventional CuZnAl catalyst, which is close to the level typically obtained in the conventional methanol synthesis process using natural gas. The influences of temperature, pressure and space velocity on the bio-methanol synthesis were also investigated in detail.