(168c) A Study of Steam Reforming of Ethanol for Hydrogen Production: Technical and Experimental Analysis Utilizing NiCu/Al2O3

Various researches have been developed utilizing Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), and ã-Al2O3 as support for biohydrogen production purpose due to its high efficiency of conversion of ethanol and due to its low cost. In this work, results of an theoretical and experimental study concerning steam reforming of ethanol utilizing both materials have been evaluated and compared with results extracted from other works.

The experimental results cited in this work were similar to theoretical studies evaluated in this and other works. However, due to acid effect of Al2O3, this process contributed to dehydration process of ethanol, thus producing ethylene and water. This fact could be diminished introducing Potassium in the composition of studied catalyst. The dehydrogenation occurs specially due to the presence of Cu, and CH4 and CO production occurs mainly due to C-C bonds rupture due to presence of Ni.