Biosyngas Production in an Integrated Aqueous-Phase Glycerol Reforming/Chemical Looping Combustion Process

Glycerol valorization with CO2, capture by chemical looping combustion (CLC) in an integrated enhanced thermal efficiency process involving aqueous-phase glycerol reforming and chemical looping combustion processes was proposed and analyzed numerically. The process interconnects a two-bed reactor system involving a chemical looping fuel moving-bed reactor and a glycerol reforming gas-liquid-solid fixed-bed reactor with a chemical looping air moving-bed reactor. The heat for endothermic glycerol reforming and chemical looping reduction reactions is provided by exothermic reactions in the chemical looping air reactor and transferred to the chemical looping fuel reactor through oxygen carrier particles circulation. The behavior of the integrated system was analyzed through simulation via a two-scale, non-isothermal, unsteady-state model accounting for detailed gas/gas-liquid dynamics whereupon were tied CLC/aqueous-phase glycerol reforming kinetics, thermodynamics, thermal effects, and variable gas flow rate due to chemical/physical contractions. The integrated process intends to minimize the abundant glycerol byproduct streams via an energy efficient technology that undertakes inherent CO2 capture by chemical looping combustion.