61. Byrd, Adam J.; Pant, K. K.; Gupta, Ram B. Hydrogen Production from Glucose Using Ru/Al2O3 Catalyst in Supercritical Water. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research (2007), 46(11), 3574-3579.

Abstract

Glucose, a model biomass compd., was catalytically reformed in supercrit. H2O to produce H. The reforming expts. were conducted in a continuous tubular reactor with and without Ru/Al2O3 catalyst at short residence times. The addn. of catalyst enhanced the overall conversion and H yield, and reduced methane formation. The gaseous products contained mainly H, CO2, methane, and a small amt. of CO. The effect of exptl. conditions such as temp., reaction time and concn. of glucose in the feed, on the formation of H, were studied. Exptl. H yields 12 mol of H2/mol of glucose were obtained which is the stoichiometric limit. The gas yield was sensitive to temp., residence time and feed concn. High yield of H2 with low CO and CH4 yields were obtained at high reaction temp. and low glucose concns. Tar formation was obsd. at glucose concns. >5%. The catalytic conversion of glucose with Ru catalyst in supercrit. H2O is an effective method for H prodn. directly at a high pressure, which can be extended to other biomass materials. A reaction mechanism for catalytic reforming in supercrit. H2O is discussed.

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