Steam Reforming of Bio-Oil Aqueous Fractions for Syngas Production and Energy

The biorefinery concept has been proposed as a route map to convert biomass into fuels and chemicals, maximizing economic and environmental benefits while minimizing pollution. A biorefinery strategy based on fast pyrolysis is proposed following a two-stage process, where biomass is first subjected to fast pyrolysis, optimized to collect up to 75% (per unit weight of biomass) of a liquid fraction called bio-oil. This bio-oil or its fractions can be upgraded in a second step to different chemicals, to a syngas and/or to energy. In particular, the catalytic steam reforming of the aqueous fraction of bio-oil obtained by fractionation with water is one of the most attractive possibilities for bio-oil upgrading, yielding a H-2-rich syngas with low CO content. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the best alternative for the catalytic steam reforming process is hydrogen production through further purification of the gas obtained.