Process for the production of hydrogen and electrical energy from reforming of bio-ethanol

Abstract

A process for the production of hydrogen and electrical energy, with zero emission of pollutants, from ethanol which is produced from biomass, which is characterized by the partial oxidation/reforming of ethanol with water for hydrogen production which is subsequently fed to a fuel cell for production of electrical energy, more specifically where an aqueous solution of ethanol originating from fermentation of biomass is separated by distillation or any other technique so as to obtain approximately 40-70% by weight of ethanol, preferably 50-60%, this mixture, mixed with a suitable quantity of air in such a way so as the ratio of moles oxygen per mole ethanol to be between zero and 0.5, is fed to a reactor in which the reactions of partial oxidation and reforming of ethanol are taking place over a suitable catalyst, where in the same or a different reactor the shift reaction is taking place and, if necessary, the reaction of combustion of CO or its conversion to CH4, where the gaseous mixture from the exit of the reactors which contain hydrogen in mixture with carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane or other gases in small quantities, is separated to the extent which is desirable for any kind of application.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.