TITLE:
Production of Hydrogen from Aqueous Phase Reforming of Glycerol: Economic Evaluation
AUTHORS:
Rodolfo Salazar Pérez, Mariana M. V. M. Souza, Neyda C. Om Tapanes, Gisel Chenard Diaz, Donato A. G. Aranda
KEYWORDS:
Glycerol; Hydrogen; Aqueous Phase Reforming; Economic Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Engineering,
Vol.6 No.1,
January
13,
2014
ABSTRACT: Glycerol is the
main byproduct from the production of biodiesel by transesterification of
vegetable oils, and approximately 10% of total biodiesel production volume
corresponds to glycerol. The profitability of various chemical processes
depends, in part, on the sale of byproducts, which enables
a reduction in the production costs and consequently, in the product’s final
price. Thus, it is necessary to look for alternatives to solve the problem of
glycerol buildup, in order to avoid future environmental impacts and make
biodiesel competitive in the growing market of biofuels. In this context, this
study’s objective is the development of a low cost and environmental clean
technology that allows the conversion of glycerin into a greater value product.
In this paper, an economic evaluation of production hydrogen using Aqueous
Phase Reforming (APR) was conducted. Firstly, we detailed the technical
assumptions in the study. Reactions
were performed in batch reformer of 10 liters of capacity, at the temperature of 250℃ and pressure of 38 atm. Finally, a
sensitivity analysis was performed. The results from economic evaluation show
that APR of glycerol, using nickel catalysts supported on alumina or zirconium
oxide, is a promising and competitive technology for hydrogen production.