Production of H₂-Rich Syngas From Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis Coupled With Activated Carbon Enabled Reforming

This study focuses on the use of a microwave reactor that combines biomass pyrolysis, at mild temperature, with catalytic reforming of the pyrolytic gas, using activated carbon, for generating hydrogen-rich synthesis gas. The traditional pyrolysis of biomass coupled with the reforming of its pyrolytic yields were also conducted using an electrically heated reactor. The bio-oil attained from conventional pyrolysis was higher in comparison to the yield from microwave pyrolysis. The reforming of the pyrolytic gas fraction led to reductions in bio-oil yield to <3.0 wt%, with a simultaneous increase in gaseous yields. An increase in the syngas and H₂ selectivity was discovered with the reforming process such that the use of microwave pyrolysis with activated carbon reforming produced 85 vol% synthesis gas fraction containing 55 vol% H₂ in comparison to the 74 vol% syngas fraction with 30 vol% H₂ obtained without the reforming. Cracking reactions were improved with microwave heating, while deoxidation and dehydrogenation reactions were enhanced by activated carbon, which creates a reduction environment. Consequently, these reactions generated H₂-rich syngas formation. The approach implemented in this study revealed higher H₂, syngas yield and that the overall LHV of products has huge potential in the transformation of biomass into high-value synthesis gas.