Warm plasma catalytic coreforming of dilute bioethanol and methane for hydrogen production

Toward hydrogen production from renewable sources, coreforming of dilute bioethanol (5 mol% ethanol) and methane using gliding arc discharge warm plasma is reported. For warm plasma alone, increases in methane to ethanol ratio and specific energy input lead to improving hydrogen yield, but low energy efficiency (<60%). The warm plasma coupled with Ni/CeO2/Al2O3 catalyst in a heat-insulation reactor achieves an energy efficiency of 80%, but the large axial-temperature drop of the catalyst bed causes low conversions. Therefore, additional heating is provided to maintain the catalyst bed temperature. Under optimal conditions, total carbon conversion of 97% and hydrogen yield of 78% are achieved with an energy cost of 1.16 kWh/Nm(3) and energy efficiency of 85%.

Automated summary

A study on hydrogen production from dilute bioethanol (5 mol% ethanol) and methane using gliding arc discharge warm plasma is reported. The use of warm plasma alone resulted in improvement in hydrogen yield but low energy efficiency. By combining warm plasma with a Ni/CeO2/Al2O3 catalyst in a heat-insulation reactor, higher energy efficiency was achieved, although low conversions were observed due to a large axial-temperature drop in the catalyst bed. Additional heating was provided to maintain the catalyst bed temperature, resulting in high carbon conversion and hydrogen yield with relatively low energy cost and high energy efficiency.