Glycerin, a Biodiesel By-Product with Potentiality to Produce Hydrogen by Steam Gasification

This work investigates the possibility of providing a use to one of the major byproducts generated during biodiesel processing: glycerin. In particular, the steam gasification of water/glycerin mixtures is studied, analysing the influence of temperature (range 600–900 °C), inlet flow rate (0.5–3 mL...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Silvia Román Suero, Beatriz Ledesma, Andrés Álvarez-Murillo, Awf Al-Kassir, Talal Yusaf
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2015-11-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/11/12339
Description
Summary:This work investigates the possibility of providing a use to one of the major byproducts generated during biodiesel processing: glycerin. In particular, the steam gasification of water/glycerin mixtures is studied, analysing the influence of temperature (range 600–900 °C), inlet flow rate (0.5–3 mL·min−1) and water/glycerin ratio (6–12 wt/wt, %) on the gas composition (H2, CO, CH4 and CO2), higher heating value, and generated power. In general, a more diluted water/glycerin mixture is more interesting in order to provide a higher fraction of hydrogen in the gas produced, although it also involves a decrease in the power obtained. Higher temperatures cause a greater contribution of water gas and water gas shift reactions in all cases, thus increasing the H2 proportion of the gas. Finally, a greater inlet flow rate increases gas production, but decreases the hydrogen proportion.
ISSN:1996-1073