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Sustainable ammonia production from steam reforming of biomass-derived glycerol in a heat-integrated intensified process: Modeling and feasibility study

Khademi, M. H ; Sharif University of Technology | 2021

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129241
  3. Publisher: Elsevier Ltd , 2021
  4. Abstract:
  5. Currently, ammonia, as a clean and sustainable energy carrier, is intensively synthesized from its elements during the Haber-Bosch technology. This process requires a large amount of energy and emits numerous amounts of carbon dioxide, because hydrogen is dominantly produced from fossil fuels through reforming processes. Biomass-derived glycerol steam reforming is an attractive alternative to traditional reforming for reducing the dependence on hydrocarbon resources and mitigating climate change. This research aims to intensify a heat-integrated process for the co-production of ammonia and syngas from glycerol valorization. In this process, glycerol reforming continuously provides hydrogen needed for ammonia synthesis, and the liquid glycerol is simultaneously vaporized by heat generated from ammonia synthesis. Methane tri-reforming acts as a heat source to drive glycerol reforming; at the same time, the effluent gas produced through glycerol reforming is recycled to the tri-reforming side to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. The role of different parameters on the process performance is identified by a one-dimensional heterogeneous model. Numerical results show that by adjusting the adequate operating conditions, glycerol and methane conversion >95%, nitrogen conversion >25%, glycerol dryness fraction = 1.0, and syngas with hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio above 2.0, suitable for the Fischer-Tropsch and methanol synthesis processes, can be achieved. In addition, this heat-integrated intensified process is promising in terms of energy saving, environmental pollution mitigation, feasibility and effectiveness for industrial-scale application; however, experimental proof-of-concept is required to ensure the safe operability of this process. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
  6. Keywords:
  7. Ammonia ; Carbon dioxide ; Carbon monoxide ; Climate change ; Effluents ; Energy conservation ; Fischer-Tropsch synthesis ; Fossil fuels ; Gas emissions ; Glycerol ; Greenhouse gases ; Steam reforming ; Synthesis gas ; Synthesis gas manufacture ; Water gas shift ; Ammonia production ; Ammonia synthesis ; Feasibility studies ; Glycerol steam reforming ; Heat-integrated process ; Methane tri-reforming ; Modelling studies ; Process-models ; Sustainable ammonia production ; Syn gas ; Methane
  8. Source: Journal of Cleaner Production ; Volume 324 , 2021 ; 09596526 (ISSN)
  9. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621034272