Process for the production of hydrogen from ethanol

Process for producing hydrogen from ethanol, for implementation in industrial units for production of hydrogen, already existing or not, replacing the catalysts of the pre-treatment section or of the pre-reforming section with nickel-based catalysts, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

• a) provide the reactor with a catalytic system;
• b) provide said reactor with an ethanol feed, with a space velocity (LHSV) between 0.1 and 10 h−1, preferably between 0.5 and 3.0 h−1 and allow contact with the catalytic system;
• c) provide said reactor simultaneously with steps (a) and (b) with a hydrogen feed, to establish an H2/ethanol molar ratio between 0.1 and 1.0, preferably between 0.2 and 0.6;
• d) provide said reactor simultaneously with steps (a), (b) and (c) with a steam feed, to establish a steam/ethanol molar ratio between 1.0 and 10.0, preferably between 3.0 and 6.0;
• e) adjust the operating conditions of the reactor to a temperature between 300 and 600° C., preferably between 350 and 550° C.;
• f) allow the conversion of ethanol to a stream containing methane, CO, CO2 and H2, in the conditions established in the preceding steps;
• g) send the mixture of gases produced in step (f) to a unit operating under typical conditions of primary reforming of the industrial steam reforming process to permit the conversion of the methane to CO, CO2 and H2;
• h) treat the mixture of gases produced in step (g) by means of typical conditions of the “shift” step of the industrial steam reforming process, to permit the conversion of carbon monoxide to CO2 and hydrogen;
• i) purify the hydrogen produced, derived from the shift reactor, by the methods used in the industrial steam reforming process.