Hydrogen production from algae biomass in rich natural gas-air filtration combustion

Abstract

This paper examines the hydrogen production from the combustion of rich natural gas-air mixtures in a porous medium composed of aleatoric algae biomass particles and alumina spheres. Combustion wave temperature, propagation rate and products (H2, CO, CO2, CH4) were measured as a function of algae volume fraction in the hybrid bed (0–100%) and its moisture content (0–100%). Three types of algae were analyzed: Ulva lactuca, Lessonia trabeculata, and Lessonia nigrescens. Experimental results show that combustion temperature and hydrogen yields increases with an increase of volume algae fraction in the hybrid bed and an increase of moisture content in the algae. The hydrogen concentration from L. trabeculata was found to be essentially higher than L. nigrescens and U. lactuca, achieved 9.56% with a 100% of moisture content. The maximum energy return over energy invested (EROI) of the process was 50% for L. nigrescens with 50% of algae volume fraction in the hybrid bed and 5% of moisture content.