ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Factor effects and interactions in steam reforming of biomass bio-oil

Joshua O. Ighalo and Adewale George Adeniyi

Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

E-mail: oshea.ighalo@yahoo.com

Received: 1 August 2019  Accepted: 12 November 2019

Abstract:

One of the current methods of converting pyrolysis oil and its aqueous phase into more useful biofuels with higher heating value is by the steam reforming technique. In this study, a thermodynamic model for the steam reforming of the aqueous phase of biomass bio-oil was developed. The optimal values of the process parameters for the steam reforming of the aqueous phase of biomass bio-oil are reforming temperature of 773 °C, reforming pressure of 1 atm and steam-to-oil ratio of 20 kg/kg. The synthesis gas obtained at optimal conditions has a hydrogen gas content of 76%, carbon dioxide content of 22%, carbon monoxide content of 2% and only trace quantities of methane. For a theoretical feed of 100 kg/h bio-oil, a water flow rate of 2000 kg/h will be required. Simulation showed that overall gas yield under such feed rate at optimal conditions will generate 131.3 kg/h synthesis gas (with 76% H₂ content) and 1968.7 kg/h of condensate water. The interaction of the factors with regard to all chemical species was also extensively investigated.

Keywords: Interactions; Bio-oil; Steam reforming; Hydrogen; Biomass; Thermodynamics

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00996-3

Chemical Papers 74 (5) 1459–1470 (2020)