An integrated catalytic approach for the production of hydrogen by glycerol reforming coupled with water-gas shift

Reaction kinetics measurements of glycerol conversion on carbon-supported Pt-based bimetallic catalysts at temperatures from 548 to 623 K show that the addition of Ru, Re and Os to platinum significantly increases the catalyst activity for the production of synthesis gas (H₂/CO mixtures) at low temperatures (548–573 K). Based on this finding, we demonstrate a gas phase catalytic process for glycerol reforming, based on the use of two catalyst beds that can be tuned to yield hydrogen (and CO₂) or synthesis gas at 573 K and a pressure of 1 atm. The first bed consists of a carbon-supported bimetallic platinum-based catalyst to achieve conversion of glycerol to a H₂/CO gas mixture, followed by a second bed comprised of a catalyst that is effective for water-gas shift, such as 1.0% Pt/CeO₂/ZrO₂. This integrated catalytic system displayed 100% carbon conversion of concentrated glycerol solutions (30–80 wt.%) into CO₂ and CO, with a hydrogen yield equal to 80% of the amount that would ideally be obtained from the stoichiometric conversion of glycerol to H₂ and CO followed by equilibrated water-gas shift with the water present in the feed.