Millisecond Autothermal Catalytic Partial Oxidation of Glycerol to Syngas and Chemicals

Partial oxidation of glycerol occurred over noble metal catalysts in millisecond contact times. Glycerol and air were fed into a quartz reactor at room temperature through an entrained flow nebulizer. This liquid-gas mixture passed over a Rh-Ce catalyst, reacting at temperatures of 500 C to 1000 C with near 100% conversion and high selectivity to synthesis gas. Water was added to the liquid glycerol at up to a 5:1 molar ratio. Neat glycerol was also converted into chemicals over a Pt catalyst: acrolein, hydroxyacetone, acetaldehyde, and ethylene were observed.