Thermodynamic analysis of the ethanol chemical looping autothermal reforming with CO2 capture

• Combination of SRE, CLPOX and CO2 Capture for H2 production.
• The use of NiO or CuO as oxygen carriers and CaO for ethanol reforming.
• Thermodynamic analysis to explore autothermal (AT) reaction conditions.
• AT conditions for CuO were: H2O/C2H5OH = 4, CuO/C2H5OH = 0.5 and Tadiab = 529 °C.

The present thermodynamic analysis is aimed to explore autothermal conditions at equilibrium for a high H2-Syngas production under the combined ethanol steam reforming (SRE), chemical looping partial oxidation (CLPOX) and CO2 solid absorption reaction system. SRE studied conditions were H2O/C2H5OH = 3–6 M ratio, CLPOX employed NiO or CuO as oxygen carriers from MeO/C2H5OH = 0.05–1.5 M ratio, while 2 kmols of CaO were used for CO2 capture in a T range of 100–900 °C at 1 atm. NiO most favorable adiabatic conditions (T ≥ 500 °C and C ≤ 0.1 kmols) were: H2O/C2H5OH = 3 and NiO/C2H5OH = 0.05–0.5. While, for CuO was at H2O/C2H5OH = 4, CuO/C2H5OH = 0.5 and Tadiab = 529 °C. These favorable reaction conditions are the product of the combination of the exothermic carbonation reaction and its influence over the thermodynamic equilibrium over the POX and SRE endothermic reactions.