de Lucas-Consuegra, A. , Gutierrez-Guerra, N. , Endrino, J. L. , SERRANO RUIZ, JUAN CARLOS, Valverde, J. L.
Si
J. Solid State Electrochem.
Article
Científica
2.327
0.643
01/10/2015
000362335900010
2-s2.0-84943200741
The development of novel configurations for the production of synthesis gas (syn-gas) of flexible H-2/CO ratio is of great importance to reduce the cost for the synthesis of synfuels and high-value chemicals. In this work, we propose a radically novel approach to the direct production of syn-gas with flexible H-2/CO ratio based on the solid electrolyte membrane reactor (SEMR). For that purpose, a single-chamber solid electrolyte membrane reactor based on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been developed (Pt/YSZ/Pt), where both active Pt catalysts-electrodes were exposed to the same reaction atmosphere (C2H5OH/H2O = 0.7 %/2 %). The application of different polarizations at temperature range (600-700 A degrees C) allows to control the H-2/CO ratio of the obtained syn-gas, i.e., the ratio was varied between 1.5 and 12 under polarization conditions. Unlike conventional catalytic partial oxidation processes, the H-2/CO adjustment was managed without the requirement of external O-2 feeding to the reactor. An increase in the applied current or potential caused the H-2/CO ratio to increase vs. the open-circuit conditions where ethanol reforming occurred on the Pt catalyst-electrodes which is due to an increase in the rate of the electro-catalytic processes. On the other hand, a decrease in the H-2/CO ratio at a fixed potential was achieved at higher temperatures due to the further reaction of the produced H-2 with the rest of the species present in the gas phase, leading to a decrease in the faradaic efficiency. The proposed configuration may be of great interest especially for biorefinery applications where H-2, syn-gas and electricity may be produced from bioethanol.
H-2 production; Syn-gas production; Solid electrolyte membrane reactor; SEMRs; Steam electrolysis; Control H-2/CO ratio