Sustainable waste-to-hydrogen energy conversion through face mask waste gasification integrated with steam methane reformer and water-gas shift reactor

The burgeoning environmental crisis and the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions underscore the importance of innovative waste-to-energy conversion technologies. This study aims to an efficient utilize of face mask waste for a novel energy system to address waste management and energy production simultaneously by introducing an integrated system comprising a gasifier reactor, steam methane reformer, and water-gas shift reactor, designed to convert face mask waste into a hydrogen-rich syngas. The gasifier reactor initiates the process with a hydrogen flow rate of 2.352 mol/h, which is subsequently enriched to 5.405 mol/h in the steam methane reformer and further to 6.132 mol/h in the water-gas shift reactor, marking a cumulative increase of 160%. Methane content, initially at 2.017 mol/h, is reduced by 38.4% post-reforming and remains stable through the water-gas shift reaction. Carbon monoxide sees a significant reduction from 0.8558 mol/h to 0.1817 mol/h, a decrease of 78.8%. The findings of this study have profound implications for the energy sector, demonstrating the potential of the integrated system to not only mitigate waste but also to produce clean energy efficiently. The substantial increase in hydrogen content across the reactors highlights the system's capability to support the burgeoning hydrogen economy, while the management of carbon oxides aligns with environmental sustainability goals. The value of this study lies in its contribution to the advancement of waste-to-energy technologies and its role in shaping future energy policies and practices.