Investigation of the Process Conditions for Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Glycerol over Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Materials

Ali Ebshish²  Zahira Yaakob²  Yun Hin Taufiq-Yap¹ 

[1] Catalysis Science and Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; E-Mail:;Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia; E-Mail:

关键词: glycerol reforming;    hydrogen production;    response surface methodology;    nickel catalyst;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ma7032257

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In this work; a response surface methodology (RSM) was implemented to investigate the process variables in a hydrogen production system. The effects of five independent variables; namely the temperature (X₁); the flow rate (X₂); the catalyst weight (X₃); the catalyst loading (X₄) and the glycerol-water molar ratio (X₅) on the H₂ yield (Y₁) and the conversion of glycerol to gaseous products (Y₂) were explored. Using multiple regression analysis; the experimental results of the H₂ yield and the glycerol conversion to gases were fit to quadratic polynomial models. The proposed mathematical models have correlated the dependent factors well within the limits that were being examined. The best values of the process variables were a temperature of approximately 600 °C; a feed flow rate of 0.05 mL/min; a catalyst weight of 0.2 g; a catalyst loading of 20% and a glycerol-water molar ratio of approximately 12; where the H₂ yield was predicted to be 57.6% and the conversion of glycerol was predicted to be 75%. To validate the proposed models; statistical analysis using a two-sample t-test was performed; and the results showed that the models could predict the responses satisfactorily within the limits of the variables that were studied.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland