Hydrogen from the high temperature water gas shift reaction with an industrial Fe/Cr catalyst using biomass gasification tar rich synthesis gas

The high temperature water gas shift reaction (HTS) over an iron/chromium (Fe/Cr) industrial catalyst was inves- tigated in a pilot scale plant consisting of two fixed-bed reactors arranged in series and a biomass-derived tar-rich synthesis gas was used as a feed-stream. CO conversion and selectivity for the water gas shift reaction were eval- uated through parameter variation. Four dry gas hourly space velocities (GHSV d ) and two steam to dry synthesis gas ratios (H 2 O/SG d ) equal to 52% v/v and 60% v/v were investigated at temperatures (T) of 350–450 °C. CO conversion was investigated by varying H 2 S concentration 180–540 ppm v (dry basis) at a temperature of 425 °C, considering two GHSV d . The highest CO conversion (~83%) was observed in the basis case at 60% v/v H 2 O/SG d , and 450 °C. The catalyst appeared to be resistant to sulfur poisoning deactivation, and achieved 48% CO conversion at the maximum H 2 S concentration used.