Syngas production from chemical looping reforming of ethanol over iron-based oxygen carriers: Theoretical analysis and experimental investigation

Abstract

• Thermodynamic of Fe-oxygen carrier in chemical looping reforming of ethanol tested. • Temperature and excess oxygen number have an apparent effect on syngas production. • The experimental test has also conducted for iron (magnetite ore) in a fixed bed. • Syngas yield enhances with rising temperature thermodynamically and experimentally. • Iron-based oxygen carrier showed a good ability for syngas production. Chemical looping reforming (CLR) is a recent trend for syngas production, which has several merits compared to the conventional manner. One of the most important issues for CLR is to find low-cost material as oxygen carriers, so iron is a promising candidate. This paper contributes to testing the thermodynamic ability of iron-based oxygen carrier for chemical looping reforming of ethanol (CLRE). Iron thermodynamically investigated in temperature 100–1300 °C and excess oxygen number ( Φ ) 0–4. It was found that the temperature and Φ have an apparent effect on the gaseous composition produced from the process. Increases in temperature within the range of 100–1300 °C enhanced syngas generated and reduced coke formation and CH 4 . Whereas, increased Φ , particularly at higher temperatures, had also enhanced syngas production as well as reduced coke formation. However, increasing Φ for values beyond one had decreased syngas and not significantly reduced coke deposition. Moreover, an experimental investigation was carried out in a fixed bed reactor for more in-depth verification of iron ability as an oxygen carrier through using magnetite ore (mainly Fe 3 O 4 ). It found that the effect of temperature on syngas production was consistent with that calculated thermodynamically, as syngas increased with raising the temperature through the CLRE.