Oxidative steam reforming of vacuum residue for hydrogen production

A two-step process for production of hydrogen from vacuum residue has been developed. In the first step, which has already been communicated [18], the residue is reacted with ozone to get oxidized and cracked products. Next, the catalytic oxidative steam reforming of the product obtained after ozonation over a Pt catalyst supported on La2O3-CeO2-γ-Al2O3 was carried out. Effects of the operating conditions: the temperature, the steam to carbon ratio and the oxygen to carbon ratio on oxidative steam reforming were investigated. The oxidative steam reforming was efficient at the molar ratio of O2/C = 0.5, S/C = 4 at 1173 K. Pt catalyst deactivated with time due to coke formation. The catalyst could be regeneration by blowing oxygen through the catalytic bed. Catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption and thermo gravimetrically to understand the microstructures.