Biogas Reforming to Syngas: A Review

Xianhui Zhao; Babu Joseph; John Kuhn; Soydan Ozcan

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101082

Biogas Reforming to Syngas: A Review

iScience. 2020 May 22;23(5):101082. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101082. Epub 2020 Apr 21.

Authors

Xianhui Zhao¹, Babu Joseph², John Kuhn³, Soydan Ozcan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA. Electronic address: zhaox@ornl.gov.
² Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA. Electronic address: bjoseph@usf.edu.
³ Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
⁴ Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, Energy and Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Knoxville, TN 37932, USA; Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.

Abstract

Interest in novel uses of biogas has increased recently due to concerns about climate change and greater emphasis on renewable energy sources. Although biogas is frequently used in low-value applications such as heating and fuel in engines or even just flared, reforming is an emerging strategy for converting biogas to syngas, which could then be used to obtain high-value-added liquid fuels and chemicals. Interest also exists due to the role of dry, bi-, and tri-reforming in the capture and utilization of CO₂. New research efforts have explored efficient and effective reforming catalysts, as specifically applied to biogas. In this paper, we review recent developments in dry, bi-, and tri-reforming, where the CO₂ in biogas is used as an oxidant/partial oxidant. The synthesis, characterization, lifetime, deactivation, and regeneration of candidate reforming catalysts are discussed in detail. The thermodynamic limitation and techno-economics of biogas conversion are also discussed.

Keywords: Biocatalysis; Energy Resources; Energy Storage.

Publication types

Review