Hydrogen production from municipal solid wastes

In this thesis, hydrogen production was achieved from municipal solid wastes (MSW) in the approach biorafinery. For this purpose, biochars were thermally and catalytically gasified in a vertical dual-bed reactor in presence of steam. Biochars were obtained from municipal solid waste which were collected at two seasons (winter and summer) and its digestate from the anaerobic digestion process for the biogas production. The seaweed ash, dolomite and Fe/Ce were used as catalyst. Lower bed was adjusted to 700 oC and 850 oC when temperature of upper bed which is a biomass bed was 850 oC. Dolomite and Fe/Ce was loaded to lower bed while seaweed ash was used by mixing with biochars. The effects of the catalyst type and the lower bed temperature on hydrogen gas yield were investigated. In case of thermal gasification of biochar obtained from MSW, H2 yield was found 1588ml/g, 1328ml/g for winter and summer seasons respectively at 850 oC of lower bed temperature. H2 production from digestate biochars (1227ml/g for winter, 1285ml/g for summer digestate biochars) were lower than that from MSW biochar Catalytic gasification increased hydrogen yield for both type of biochars, but there were no significant differences between the catalyst types. By using catalyst at 700 oC, H2 production reached the amount of H₂ obtained from thermal gasification at 850°C.