The oncoming energy vector: Hydrogen produced in Pd-composite membrane reactor via bioethanol reforming over Ni/CeO2 catalyst

A model bioethanol steam reforming reaction is performed in a thin composite Pd membrane reactor by using Ni/CeO<inf>2</inf> catalyst. A 7.5wt.% Ni/CeO<inf>2</inf> catalyst was prepared by Solution Combustion Synthesis using urea as fuel. The obtained powder was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N<inf>2</inf>-physisorption, CO-chemisorption and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). A 8?m thin Pd-layer deposited onto a porous Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> support constitutes the membrane allocated in the membrane reactor module, where the catalyst is packed in the annulus. The H<inf>2</inf> perm-selectivity of the composite membrane (expressed as H<inf>2</inf>/N<inf>2</inf> ideal selectivity) is around 4700 at 400°C, ?p =0.5bar and in fresh membrane conditions.The bioethanol reforming is carried out at 400°C and the reaction pressure ranges from 2.0 to 3.0bar as well as GHSV from 5000 to 15,000h^-1. The best performance of the membrane reactor is achieved at 400°C, 3.0bar and GHSV=5000h^-1 where the ethanol conversion is around 98%, with more than 65% of hydrogen recovered in the permeate side. Furthermore, the influence of the byproducts present as impurities in the model bioethanol mixture on the membrane reactor performance is also evaluated.