Effects of Water to Sucrose Ratio and Pressure on Hydrogen Production during Supercritical Water Reformation of Sucrose

Sucrose, a renewable resource derived from sugarcane or sugar beet, was reformed to hydrogen using supercritical water as a novel reacting medium that acts both as a solvent and a reactant. Supercritical water has been demonstrated as an effective reformation medium for a variety of hydrocarbons including renewable energy sources derived from bioethanol and biodiesel. Temperature and space time were held constant while reactor pressure was varied from 17.94 to 30.90 MPa in a 400 mL Hanyes Alloy 230 tubular reactor and the resultant effect on gaseous hydrogen production was investigated. In addition, the water to sucrose mass ratio was varied from 9 to 28 and the effects on gaseous hydrogen production explored.