Abstract
The effect of catalyst loading in the Aqueous Phase Reforming (APR) of bio-oil aqueous fraction has been studied with a Ni-Co/Al-Mg coprecipitated catalyst. Because of the high content of water in the bio-oil aqueous fraction, APR could be a useful process to convert this fraction into valuable products. Experiments of APR with continuous feeding of aqueous solution of acetol, butanol and acetic acid as the only compound, together with a simulated and a real aqueous fraction of bio-oil, were carried out. Liquid products in the liquid effluent of the APR model compounds were quantified and the reaction pathways were revised. The increase of catalyst loading produced an increase of gas production and a gas with higher alkanes content. Acetol was the compound with the highest reactivity while the conversion of acetic acid was very low. The presence of acetic acid in the feed caused catalyst deactivation.
Highlights
Biomass is a renewable raw material source of energy and chemical compounds
We observed a significant increase in carbon yield to gases when the weight/organic mass flow rate (W/m) ratio increased from 5 to 40 g catalyst min/g acetol
The results obtained in the present work with the model compounds of the bio-oil aqueous fraction can be compared, to some extent, with other results of published works
Summary
Biomass can be converted by biological and thermochemical processes. The pyrolysis process makes it possible to convert biomass into gas, liquid and solid products. The fast pyrolysis of biomass carried out at high heating rates, at a final temperature of 450–500 ◦C and very short contact time of products, maximizes the liquid fraction called bio-oil [1]. The aqueous fraction contains mainly compounds derived from the depolymerisation of cellulose and hemicellulose, such as organic acids, including acetic acid; ketones, such as acetol, named hydroxyacetone; and alcohols, among others. These oxygenated compounds can produce hydrogen and liquid compounds by reforming processes
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