Exploitable results AER Application: Biomass gasification/syngas generation, improved FICFB process in CHP, integration in industrial processes (pulp, cement, etc.) The AER technology is suitable e.g. for the following applications: a) Decentralised Combined Heat and Power Generation b) Hydrogen / Synthesis gas from biomass c) Integration in industrial processes (pulp, cement, lime) The first option is supposed to be applicable in the next 3 - 5 years. For example, the FICFB gasifier of the power plant at Guessing (Austria) can be adapted to the AER technology by replacing the inert bed material with a reactive CO2 absorbent bed material. The downstream gas-cleaning unit can probably be reduced, because the product gas of an AER gasifier has low tar content and fewer pollutants. Thus, it is probably directly usable in a gas engine. In the near future, there is no market for costly renewable hydrogen or synfuel, as these products are generated in large amounts from fossil fuels at low costs. Nevertheless, the AER process enables the production of renewable hydrogen (and synfuels - via downstream fuel synthesis) and is therefore very important with view to long-term energy supply. In combination with fuel cells it might also be an approach for small power plants. The integration of an AER gasifier in industrial processes reduces investment cost significantly and upgrades the over all process. On the other hand, the new technology is not yet available for economical operation - further research and optimisation are necessary. New/improved catalyst for tar (phenol) reforming/ cracking A novel Rh-based supported catalyst for phenol steam reforming has been synthesized using the Sol-Gel method. It was found that the Sol-Gel method results in a significant improvement of the catalyst behaviour with respect to that obtained by other traditional synthesis techniques (e.g., wet impregnation). The Rh-based supported catalyst has been tested for the steam reforming of phenol in the 575-730oC range using the 0.5%C6H5OH/40%H2O/He feed gas composition. The Figure below presents comparative results of the rates of hydrogen production (per gram of metal basis) obtained over the Rh-based catalyst and a commercial Ni-based catalyst in the 575-730 degree Celsius range. As it is shown, the Rh-based catalyst developed appears to be significantly superior to the commercial one. In particular, it presents up to 50 times higher rates of hydrogen production compared to the commercial catalyst, especially at the lower reaction temperatures. It is also important to notice that the sol-gel prepared catalyst presents practically constant values of hydrogen production rate in the temperature range examined. Moreover, the present Rh-based catalyst was found to be extremely stable with reaction time. More precisely practically constant rates of hydrogen production during 36 hrs of continuous reaction at 700 degrees Celsius using the 0.5% C6H5OH/40%H2O/He feed gas stream composition have been obtained. Performance of bed materials under fixed bed AER conditions AER experiments using a fixed bed AER reactor were carried out (in situ CO2 absorption during steam reforming, absorbent presence in reactor bed; process temperature range below 700 degrees Celsius; atmospheric pressure; effect of temperature swing on the bed material; carbon deposition). Mainly methane was used as fuel and a reactive bed material (consisting of absorbent and catalyst). The experimental results: - Prove the feasibility of AER - Characterise different steam reforming catalyst under AER conditions - Deliver the cycling behaviour of absorbent under AER conditions - Enable the recommendation of process conditions for AER process (concerning reforming and absorbent regeneration) - Deliver basic data for process simulation - Deliver basic knowledge for reactor design (e.g. fixed and fluidised bed AER reactor) - Deliver basic knowledge for process design The hydrogen content in the product gas was higher than 95% (dry basis) - the COx content was below 2%. A parameter study was carried out, including the variation of process temperature, space velocity, steam/carbon ratio and catalyst/absorbent ratio. Searching for OpenAIRE data... There was an error trying to search data from OpenAIRE No results available
