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NREL's researchers have investigated the thermochemical conversion of renewable energy feedstocks since the lab's inception. Researchers are developing gasification and pyrolysis processes for converting biomass and its residues to hydrogen, as well as fuels, chemicals, and power. Building on the successes of these past efforts, biomass now is now one of the best near-term options for renewable hydrogen production.
Thermochemical Process R&D
Fundamental R&D is also being conducted at NREL that provides a solid understanding of the chemistry of biomass pyrolysis, including stabilization and upgrading of bio-oil, the potential applications of pyrolysis liquids, and the requirements for engineering systems that can produce hydrogen via biomass pyrolysis on a large scale.
The catalytic steam reforming of biomass pyrolysis products is the heart of the biomass-to-hydrogen process and the focus of NREL's biomass to hydrogen R&D. This process has been demonstrated in the lab for biomass pyrolysis vapors, the carbohydrate fraction of biomass-derived liquids, trap grease (a waste products from restaurants), and gasifier product gas. Building on these successes, the current focus is on integrating the catalytic steam reforming of biomass pyrolysis products with the production of high-value products. Techno-economic evaluation has shown that this strategy is commercially viable if fractions of the pyrolysis oil can be marketed as value-added products or with low- or negative-cost feedstocks.
Contact: Bob Evans
Reforming Catalyst Development
Scientists are also working to design cost-effective, feedstock-flexible reforming catalysts. Commercially-available reforming catalysts cannot withstand the harsh conditions required to produce hydrogen from pyrolysis liquids in a fluidized bed. Catalyst attrition under fluidized conditions results in catalyst losses of 10-20 wt% per day. New robust nickel-based/alumina reforming catalysts have been developed to withstand the harsh reaction conditions. Testing on the pyrolysis oils from pine and mixed hardwoods verified that this new catalyst can produce hydrogen with efficiencies as good as or better than those of the best commercial catalysts. These catalysts are now being modified for use with other feedstocks, like plastics and trap grease.
Contact: Kim Magrini-Bair
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