Alcoxycle : a novel route for glycerol reform into H2 and COx inseparate stages.

Abstract

In this paper, it is proposed a new route, named “Alkoxycle”, for the conversion of glycerol from biodieselproduction into H2and CO/CO2in different and separate stages. In this process, glycerol first reacts withNaOH to form an alkoxide that, in a second step, undergoes controlled thermal decomposition. Analysesof glycerol:NaOH precursor mixtures (molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:5) by TG, XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman,total carbon and GC–MS showed that the decomposition of the alkoxide at 400◦C leads to the formationof three fractions: liquid, gas and solid. The liquid products were formed only in very small amountswhereas an important gas fraction (12–16 wt%) was produced consisting mainly of H2(95% selectivity).In the second stage, the solid products (70–86 wt%) consisting of Na2O, carbon and mostly Na2CO3canbe decompose by heating at 700◦C to procuce CO2and especially CO. At the end of the Alcoxycle process,the NaOH used in the reaction and also the NaOH present in the biodiesel glycerol can be recovered andreused.