Steam reforming of crude glycerol with in situ CO(2) sorption.

Steam reforming of the crude glycerol by-product of a biodiesel production plant has been evaluated experimentally at atmospheric pressure, with and without in situ CO(2) sorption, in a continuous flow fixed-bed reactor between 400 degrees C and 700 degrees C. The process outputs were compared to those using pure glycerol. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were used to assess the effect on the steam reforming process of the main crude impurities (methanol and four fatty acid methyl esters).