Biofuels as a promising source of hydrogen for fuel cell power plants

Abstract

The state of the art in biomass conversion into liquid hydrocarbon biofuels aimed at obtaining synthesis gas and hydrogen for duel elements is analyzed. The most promising liquid hydrocarbon and oxygencontaining fuels for synthesis gas production are vegetable oils, diesel fuel, and biodiesel. Mathematical models are developed for the autothermal reforming, steam reforming and pre-reforming of biodiesel into synthesis gas and for the steam reforming of pre-reforming products integrated with the membrane separation of hydrogen. The results of calculations are verified against experimental data. The solution suggested here ensures 93.5% efficiency of the membrane separation of hydrogen from the reaction mixture and a theoretical hydrogen yield of 128 mol per kilogram of biodiesel.