Clean Energy hydrogen production by steam reforming of biodiesel By-product using Nickel-based catalysts with different supports

Abstract

Rising prices of petroleum fuel and environmental issues turns researcher’s attraction towards production of new renewable fuel sources. Biodiesel can be most prominent solution. Production of biodiesel via transesterification of vegetable oil produces glycerol as major by-product. Glycerol can be utilized for clean energy carrier: hydrogen production via steam reforming. This study focuses production of hydrogen in fixed bed reactor utilizing nickel based catalyst supported by MgO, Al₂O₃, SiO₂ with 1:9 feed ratio of glycerol to water varying temperature range in between 550 °C to 800 °C. 15wt % Ni loaded on Al₂O₃ at 800 °C shows highest hydrogen yield and almost completes glycerol conversion. It was found that activity of supported nickel catalyst as follows: Al₂O₃> MgO> SiO₂. X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD) and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used for characterization of catalysts.