Catalytic Steam Reforming of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil in Fixed Bed and Fluidized Bed Reactors

Catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil is an economically-feasible route which produces renewable hydrogen. The Ni/MgO-La2O3-Al2O3 catalyst was prepared with Ni as active agent, Al2O3 as support, and MgO and La2O3 as promoters. The experiments were conducted in fixed bed and fluidized bed reactors, respectively. Temperature, steam-to-carbon mole ratio (S/C), and liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) were investigated with hydrogen yield as index. For the fluidized bed reactor, maximum hydrogen yield was obtained under temperatures 700-800 degrees C, S/C 15-20, LHSV 0.5-1.0 h(-1), and the maximum H-2 yield was 75.88 %. The carbon deposition content obtained from the fluidized bed was lower than that from the fixed bed. The maximum H-2 yield obtained in the fluidized bed was 7% higher than that of the fixed bed. The carbon deposition contents obtained from the fluidized bed was lower than that of the fixed bed at the same reaction temperature.