Synthesis gas production from glycerol steam reforming. Ni-Mg/ɣ-Al2O3 catalysts, effect of magnesium content.

M.L. DIEUZEIDE, M.JOBBAGY, N.AMADEO

Madrid

Conferencia; Catalysis for Clean Energy and Sustainable Chemistry, 2012.; 2012

In the last years the production of synthesis gas and hydrogen from glycerol steam reforming is being considered as a viable alternative in order to increase the profitability of the transesterification process for biodiesel production [1-4]. The global reaction that describes the steam reforming of glycerol is:  which is strongly endothermic. Catalysts based on nickel are widely used for the reforming of hydrocarbons and alcohols [4-6]. However, nickel catalysts supported on ɣ-Al2O3 are deactivated in this process as a consequence of: carbon formation over the acid sites of alumina and by sintering of the metallic phase due to the low thermal stability of alumina [3]. In order to minimize the deactivation of the catalyst, the promotion of the support with an alkaline earth metal (MgO, CaO, …) is proposed since them favour the adsorption capacity of steam, the thermal stability of Ni and confer  some  basic character to the support.[7-8] The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of Mg content on the Ni/ɣ-Al2O3 catalysts over the activity, selectivity and carbon formation for the steam reforming of glycerol.