Production of hydrogen from gasoline range alkanes with reduced CO2
emission
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 27 (1):
11-18 (2002/1 2002)TY - JOUR.Abstract
In this work we proposed and investigated a new technology using gasoline
as a fuel for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell through the decomposition
of gasoline range alkanes into hydrogen and carbon. The method can
supply a high purity hydrogen without CO and CO2. The decompositions
of various alkanes (CH4, C2H6, C3H8, C4H10, C6H14, and C8H18) have
been examined over Ni/fumed silica (Cab-O-Sil) at a temperature of
773 K. Main products were hydrogen and carbon fibers with a low concentration
by-product CH4. The number of carbons deposited per one Ni atom after
complete deactivation of the catalyst was in the range of 750-1000
depending on the starting alkanes. The selectivity of H2 formation
increased as the number of carbon in the molecular structure of alkanes
increased. Among C6-alkanes, the H2 selectivity improved as 3-methylpentane
(92%) n-hexane (94%) 6-alkanes and C8H18) were superior to the light
alkanes (4) for selective decomposition into hydrogen and carbon.
The amount of by-products probably formed due to thermal cracking
in the gas phase were negligible compared to that of CH4 during the
catalytic decomposition of gasoline range alkanes.