Proof-of-concept and model validation of chemical looping reforming of glycerol at relevant conditions

Chemical looping reforming (CLR) of glycerol was experimentally and numerically investigated to demonstrate syngas production with integrated in-situ oxygen transfer and heat recovery. A shrinking core model was developed using a Ni-based catalyst, and a 1-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous, axially dispersed plug flow model was validated against laboratory-scale experiments. The packed-bed reactor, containing 500 g of oxygen carrier, showed stable performance over 500 hours with conditions being between 400–900 °C and 1–5 bara. During the air oxidation, a temperature rise of 340 °C of generated from the initial 500 °C. The model achieved excellent agreement with experimental results, using a heat loss coefficient of 46 W·m−2·K-1accurtatly predicting the exothermic oxidation, thermally neutral reduction and endothermic reduction stage.

The combined steam and dry reforming of glycerol generated that syngas ratio of 2.3–3.6, where carbon balances closed within ±7 % with no carbon deposition, whilst maintaining CH4 formation below 1 vol% and a carbon conversion of >95 %. The results confirm that CLR of glycerol can deliver stable redox cycles, favourable syngas composition for downstream Fischer-Tropsch or methanol synthesis and enhances process efficiency for biofuel production and CO2 mitigation.