Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains

Iron-based oxygen carriers (OCs) have received much attention due to their low costs, high mechanical strengths and high-temperature stabilities in the chemical looping gasification (CLG) of biomass, but their chemical reactivity is very ordinary. Converter steel slags (CSSs) are steelmaking wastes...

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Main Authors: Miao Yuan, Huawei Jiang, Xiangli Zuo, Cuiping Wang, Yanhui Li, Hairui Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1298
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author Miao Yuan
Huawei Jiang
Xiangli Zuo
Cuiping Wang
Yanhui Li
Hairui Yang
author_facet Miao Yuan
Huawei Jiang
Xiangli Zuo
Cuiping Wang
Yanhui Li
Hairui Yang
author_sort Miao Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Iron-based oxygen carriers (OCs) have received much attention due to their low costs, high mechanical strengths and high-temperature stabilities in the chemical looping gasification (CLG) of biomass, but their chemical reactivity is very ordinary. Converter steel slags (CSSs) are steelmaking wastes and rich in Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, CaO and MgO, which have good oxidative ability and good stability as well as catalytic effects on biomass gasification. Therefore, the composite OCs prepared by mechanically mixing CSSs with iron-based OCs are expected to be used to increase the hydrogen production in the CLG of biomass. In this study, the catalytic performance of CSS/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite OCs prepared by mechanically mixing CSSs with iron-based OCs on the gasification of brewers’ spent grains (BSGs) were investigated in a tubular furnace experimental apparatus. The results showed that when the weight ratio of the CSSs in composite OCs was 0.5, the relative volume fraction of hydrogen reached the maximum value of 49.1%, the product gas yield was 0.85 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg and the gasification efficiency was 64.05%. It could be found by X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning electron microscope characterizations that the addition of CSSs helped to form MgFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, which are efficient catalysts for H<sub>2</sub> production. Owing to the large and widely distributed surface pores of CSSs, mixing them with iron-based OCs was beneficial for catalytic steam reforming to produce hydrogen.
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spelling doaj-art-6abffa50c4814fd7a88cdf1f9d4c2b312025-08-20T02:53:19ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-03-01185129810.3390/en18051298Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent GrainsMiao Yuan0Huawei Jiang1Xiangli Zuo2Cuiping Wang3Yanhui Li4Hairui Yang5College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaCollege of Energy Storage Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaDepartment of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaIron-based oxygen carriers (OCs) have received much attention due to their low costs, high mechanical strengths and high-temperature stabilities in the chemical looping gasification (CLG) of biomass, but their chemical reactivity is very ordinary. Converter steel slags (CSSs) are steelmaking wastes and rich in Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, CaO and MgO, which have good oxidative ability and good stability as well as catalytic effects on biomass gasification. Therefore, the composite OCs prepared by mechanically mixing CSSs with iron-based OCs are expected to be used to increase the hydrogen production in the CLG of biomass. In this study, the catalytic performance of CSS/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite OCs prepared by mechanically mixing CSSs with iron-based OCs on the gasification of brewers’ spent grains (BSGs) were investigated in a tubular furnace experimental apparatus. The results showed that when the weight ratio of the CSSs in composite OCs was 0.5, the relative volume fraction of hydrogen reached the maximum value of 49.1%, the product gas yield was 0.85 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg and the gasification efficiency was 64.05%. It could be found by X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning electron microscope characterizations that the addition of CSSs helped to form MgFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, which are efficient catalysts for H<sub>2</sub> production. Owing to the large and widely distributed surface pores of CSSs, mixing them with iron-based OCs was beneficial for catalytic steam reforming to produce hydrogen.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1298chemical looping gasificationbrewers’ spent grainsconverter steel slagsiron-based oxygen carriershydrogen productioncatalytic performance
spellingShingle Miao Yuan
Huawei Jiang
Xiangli Zuo
Cuiping Wang
Yanhui Li
Hairui Yang
Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
Energies
chemical looping gasification
brewers’ spent grains
converter steel slags
iron-based oxygen carriers
hydrogen production
catalytic performance
title Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
title_full Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
title_fullStr Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
title_full_unstemmed Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
title_short Catalytic Performance of Iron-Based Oxygen Carriers Mixed with Converter Steel Slags for Hydrogen Production in Chemical Looping Gasification of Brewers’ Spent Grains
title_sort catalytic performance of iron based oxygen carriers mixed with converter steel slags for hydrogen production in chemical looping gasification of brewers spent grains
topic chemical looping gasification
brewers’ spent grains
converter steel slags
iron-based oxygen carriers
hydrogen production
catalytic performance
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1298
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