Stability of different Ni supported catalysts in the in-line steam reforming of biomass fast pyrolysis volatiles

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 242; pp. 109 - 120
• Main Authors: Santamaria, Laura, Lopez, Gartzen, Arregi, Aitor, Amutio, Maider, Artetxe, Maite, Bilbao, Javier, Olazar, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Biomass; Catalysis; Catalyst; Catalysts; Deactivation; Fluidized beds; Fluorescence; Fourier transforms; Hydrogen; Infrared spectroscopy; Magnesium oxide; Nickel; Oxidation; Oxides; Pyrolysis; Reactors; Reforming; Scanning electron microscopy; Silicon dioxide; Spouted beds; Stability; Steam; Temperature; Titanium dioxide; Transmission electron microscopy; Volatiles; X ray powder diffraction; X ray spectra; X-ray fluorescence; Zirconium dioxide; Pyrolysis; Reforming; Deactivation; Biomass; Hydrogen; Catalyst
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2018.09.081

[Display omitted] •Ni/Al2O3, Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/MgO are the most active and stable.•Ni/ZrO2 is not highly active, but its deactivation rate is low.•Coke deposition is the main cause of catalyst deactivation.•Ni/SiO2 has a poor performance regarding diffusional transport.•TiO2 phase transformation affects the performance of Ni/TiO2 catalyst. The performance and stability of different Ni supported catalysts have been studied in a continuous bench scale plant fitted with a conical spouted bed reactor for biomass pyrolysis at 500 °C and a fluidized bed reactor for the in line catalytic steam reforming of pyrolysis volatiles at 600 °C. The metal oxides selected as Ni supports have been Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, TiO2 and ZrO2, and all the catalysts have been prepared by the wet impregnation method. Significant differences have been observed in the performance and stability of the catalysts, with the most suitable ones concerning the evolution of bio-oil oxygenate conversion and H2 yield with time on stream being as follows: Ni/Al2O3 > Ni/ZrO2 > Ni/MgO > Ni/TiO2 > Ni/SiO2. The activity and stability are explained based on the properties of the catalysts, which have been measured prior and after their use, by means of different techniques: N2 adsorption/ desorption, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), in-line monitoring by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-temperature programmed oxidation (FTIR-TPO), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).