Autothermal Reforming of Glycerol in a Dual Layer Monolith Catalyst

Autothermal Reforming of Glycerol in a Dual Layer Monolith Catalyst

Yujia Liu and Adeniyi Lawal

New Jersey Center for Microchemical Systems, Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1 Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken NJ 07030

Abstract

Glycerol is a by-product during biodiesel production via transesterification of triglycerides. The conversion of glycerol to synthesis gas and then to methanol represents an important niche for glycerol processing that could relieve small biodiesel producers from high glycerol disposal cost while reducing their dependence on methanol from fossil fuels. The autothermal reforming (ATR) of glycerol into synthesis gas was studied using the BASF dual layer monolith catalyst. Heat management requires balancing the exothermic partial oxidation and endothermic reforming reactions in the catalytic ATR system. The composition of synthesis gas obtained was determined as a function of temperature, steam to carbon (H₂O/C) ratio, oxygen to carbon (O₂/C) ratio and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV). The optimum operating conditions to produce desired conversion of glycerol, yields of H₂, and H₂/CO ratio with minimal coke formation were also determined.

Process simulation offers a powerful tool that can assist in reactor design and process optimization and scale up. The Aspen simulation software package was used to determine the equilibrium product composition for various reaction conditions. A comparison between process simulation results and experimental data was made, and the agreement was excellent indicating that equilibrium was attained for the selected reaction conditions. This study is the first step in the development of a process for autothermal reforming of crude glycerol to generate synthesis gas for methanol production.