Production of hydrogen from bio-oil using CaO as a CO2 sorbent

Steam reforming of bio-oil into transportation-fuel-grade hydrogen using CaO as a CO2 sorbent is modelled using the ASPEN PLUS process simulator. The simulations predict that (1) operating the absorbing (reforming) reactor at 600–850°C and the desorbing (regeneration) reactor at ∼800°C and near ambient pressure is optimal; (2) the gas exiting the absorbing reactor contains >95% H2 (dry gas, molar basis) versus only 67% theoretically producible without the aid of sorbents; (3) hydrogen yield from the sorbent-aided system is comparable to that predicted for catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil without the use of sorbents, ∼0.07–0.08 kg H2 per kg of bio-oil.