Potential applications of the hydrogen and the high energy biofuel blend produced by ethanol dehydrogenation on a Cu/ZrO2 catalyst

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing the potential application of the liquid effluent coming from a catalytic ethanol dehydrogenation reactor as a fuel blend or additive for internal combustion engines, and also of the hydrogen produced, as fuel for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC). The liquid effluent is obtained by the catalytic reaction of ethanol over Cu/ZrO2 at different contact times of the reactant with the catalyst bed. Subsequently, highperformance liquid chromatography analysis and heat of combustion measurements are used to analyze the composition and the heat of combustion of the liquid effluent trapped by cold condensation at 271.65 K. In parallel, the effect of the presence of r..