Sorption enhanced hydrogen production by steam methane reforming using Li2ZrO3 as sorbent: Sorption kinetics and reactor simulation

The kinetics of CO2 sorption on a solid adsorbent, namely lithium zirconate, have been studied in an oscillating microbalance. The solid sorbent has been prepared by a novel route resulting in a high capacity, good stability and much improved sorption rates, making it suitable for its application in sorption enhanced hydrogen production by steam methane reforming. A kinetic equation for the sorption kinetics as a function of CO2 partial pressure and temperature has been developed. The hydrogen production by sorption enhanced reaction process has been simulated by a dynamic one-dimensional pseudo-homogenous model of a fixed-bed reactor, where a hydrotalcite-derived Ni catalyst has been used as steam reforming catalysts. Simulation results show that hydrogen purer than 95% with a concentration of carbon monoxide lower than 0.2 mol% can be produced in a single step.