Aspen Plus simulation analysis of hydrogen production from biomass pyrolysis integrated with steam methane reformer unit

Abstract

As a Paris Agreement signatory committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Indonesia must shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy to reduce emissions and economic growth. Biomass, abundant in North Sumatra, particularly palm oil biomass, offers a potential solution. Biomass can be converted into hydrogen through a thermochemical pyrolysis integrated steam methane reformer (SMR). The Aspen Plus software simulates an integrated biomass pyrolysis system with an SMR unit in this study. Nickel oxide (NiO), used as a catalyst in the SMR unit, is particularly attractive due to its natural abundance and cost-effectiveness. With the batch process, the working pyrolysis temperature is 500°C and SMR is 450°C, respectively. For one process, feed pyrolysis and SMR are 6.54 kg of empty fruit bunch (EFB) palm oil biomass, and SMR supply with 1.515 kg of water vapor or the EFB/water vapor ratio are 81% and 19%, respectively. The above condition will produce 4.27 kg (53%) H2, 1.77 kg (22%) CO2, and 1.93 kg (24%) H2O. Overall, the integrated pyrolysis with SMR (steam methane reformer) for hydrogen production shows good conversion, where every 1 kg of EFB (Empty Fruit Bunches) produces 0.67 kg of hydrogen.