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Hydrogen-Rich Gas Production from Municipal Solid Waste via Integrated Pyrolysis and Catalytic Steam Reforming over
Ivan Pedro Lazzarotto1, Oscar de Almeida Neuwald1, Lucas David Biondo1
1Engineering of Processes and Technologies Post-Graduate Program, University of Caxias do Sul-UCS, Caxias do Sul 95070-560, Brazil.
Abstract:
The transition to a hydrogen-based economy requires efficient and sustainable technologies to convert waste into clean energy carriers. This study investigates the production of hydrogen-rich gas through the integrated pyrolysis steam reforming (PSR) and integrated pyrolysis (PYR) and catalytic steam reforming (PCSR) of real municipal solid waste (MSW). PCSR experiments were conducted in a two-stage series reactor system: an initial pyrolysis stage at 500 °C followed by a catalytic steam reforming stage at 900 °C over a commercial Ni/Al2O3 catalyst (9.8 wt.% Ni). Three real MSW samples from the Serra Gaúcha region (Brazil) were evaluated: organic-rich (A), polymeric-rich (B), and a mixed real collection fraction (C). Gas yields from PYR to PCSR increased from 0.44 to 1.18 Nm3·kgMSW-1, from 0.66 to 1.54 Nm3·kgMSW-1, and from 0.35 to 1.50 Nm3·kgMSW-1 for (A), (B), and (C) samples, respectively. Hydrogen concentrations of PCSR were between 32% and 39% volume for all samples, with a marked reduction in CH4 and CO levels due to the promotion of water-gas shift and methane reforming reactions over the nickel active sites. The PCSR process using a Ni/Al2O3 catalyst proves to be a highly effective route for maximizing hydrogen production from real MSW, offering a robust technological solution for energy valorization and carbon footprint reduction.
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