Production of Hydrogen by Steam
Reforming of Methanol Over Novel
Nano-Nickel Oxide-Based Catalyst
Barnali Bej, N. C. Pradhan, and Swati Neogi
Abstract The present investigation deals with the study of steam reforming of
methanol for production of hydrogen over alumina (Al 2 O 3 )-supported nano-nickel
oxide (NiO) in silica catalyst. Nano-NiO in silica was synthesized by sol–gel
method. The catalyst was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, and BET surface
area analyzer. The influence of catalyst activation temperature, reforming temperature, steam to methanol ratio, space velocity on methanol conversion, and product
selectivity were studied to observe the contribution of methanol steam reforming,
methanol decomposition, and water–gas shift reaction toward the yield of H 2 . The
optimum process parameters established were reaction temperature 425 °C, steam
to methanol molar ratio 1.8:1, and space velocity 0.14 kmol of methanol fed per kg
catalyst per hour, and under these conditions, maximum 95% conversion of methanol
was achieved. The comparative study of catalytic activity revealed that developed
indigenous catalyst is superior over other commercial catalysts.
Keywords Hydrogen production · Steam reforming · Sol-gel method ·
Nano-catalyst · Calcination temperature · Water-gas shift reaction
1 Introduction
Increasing interest in hydrogen production for fuel cell-powered automobiles to
avoid environmental pollution is a great challenge in the construction of a hydrogenoriented society. Recently, global efforts are underway to minimize the emissions
B. Bej (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Haldia Institute of Technology, Haldia, India
e-mail: bejbarnali@gmail.com
N. C. Pradhan · S. Neogi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
e-mail: ncp@che.iitkgp.ernet.in
S. Neogi
e-mail: swati@che.iitkgp.ernet.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_40
405
Reforming of Methanol Over Novel
Nano-Nickel Oxide-Based Catalyst
Barnali Bej, N. C. Pradhan, and Swati Neogi
Abstract The present investigation deals with the study of steam reforming of
methanol for production of hydrogen over alumina (Al 2 O 3 )-supported nano-nickel
oxide (NiO) in silica catalyst. Nano-NiO in silica was synthesized by sol–gel
method. The catalyst was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, and BET surface
area analyzer. The influence of catalyst activation temperature, reforming temperature, steam to methanol ratio, space velocity on methanol conversion, and product
selectivity were studied to observe the contribution of methanol steam reforming,
methanol decomposition, and water–gas shift reaction toward the yield of H 2 . The
optimum process parameters established were reaction temperature 425 °C, steam
to methanol molar ratio 1.8:1, and space velocity 0.14 kmol of methanol fed per kg
catalyst per hour, and under these conditions, maximum 95% conversion of methanol
was achieved. The comparative study of catalytic activity revealed that developed
indigenous catalyst is superior over other commercial catalysts.
Keywords Hydrogen production · Steam reforming · Sol-gel method ·
Nano-catalyst · Calcination temperature · Water-gas shift reaction
1 Introduction
Increasing interest in hydrogen production for fuel cell-powered automobiles to
avoid environmental pollution is a great challenge in the construction of a hydrogenoriented society. Recently, global efforts are underway to minimize the emissions
B. Bej (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Haldia Institute of Technology, Haldia, India
e-mail: bejbarnali@gmail.com
N. C. Pradhan · S. Neogi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
e-mail: ncp@che.iitkgp.ernet.in
S. Neogi
e-mail: swati@che.iitkgp.ernet.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_40
405