A preliminary study on hydrogen-rich gas production by pyrolysis of glycerol in molten alkali

Experiment study on the pyrolysis of glycerol for hydrogen-rich gas production in molten alkali has been carried out in a self-designed reactor. The impact of molten alkali on the distribution of gas production was discussed. Operation parameters like pyrolysis temperature, carrier gas flow rate and feed rate, as well as catalyst types, were investigated for their influences on the hydrogen production yield. The results show that components like CO and CO₂ in pyrolysis gas were absorbed by molten alkali, so there are only H₂ and a small amount of CH₄ in product gas. Higher carrier gas flow rate and lower feed rate are favorable to improve the hydrogen production yield, and the hydrogen production yield could reach 0.966 Nm³ H₂/kg of glycerol when pyrolysis temperature was 400 , carrier gas flow rate was 200 L/h, feed rate was 3.38 g/min. The catalysts of MCM-41 zeolite and NiCl₂ are helpful for improving the hydrogen production yield.