| During the last few years concerns with distribution, supply and cost of conventional liquid fuels increased considerably. Several developed countries are seriously considering using hydrogen (no fossil combustible) as an automotive energy source as part of the global effort to preserve the environment. An alternative methodology to provide renewable source energy in the transportation sector is Autothermal Reforming (ATR) in combination with fuel cell technologies. Presently, the department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) works in the development of a reforming catalyst characterization program. The purpose of this research is to study the viability of using a new catalyst to convert Biodiesel, Glycerin and Methanol to a hydrogen rich product gas and compare their production potential, identify the conditions for the accumulation of coke and determine the influence of reactor temperature and water to carbon and oxygen to carbon ratios. A Basket Stirred Tank Reactor (BSTR) and Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) with Pt and Rh-based catalysts synthesized at ANL were used. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
