Thermodynamic Modeling and Investigation of Chemical Looping Reformer Integrated with Gasifier for Hydrogen Production Using Novel E-Waste Oxygen Carriers
摘要
This study presents a novel and sustainable approach to address two pressing global challenges: electronic waste (E-waste) management and clean hydrogen production. This study proposes a Chemical Looping Reforming (CLR) system that uses the metal oxide content in printed circuit boards (PCBs) from e-waste as a low-cost, effective oxygen carrier, eliminating the need for synthetically manufactured metal oxides. The CLR system integrates a three-reactor configuration (fuel, steam, and air reactors) with a biomass gasifier, enabling efficient steam gasification of E-waste and cyclic reduction-oxidation of the e-waste-derived metal oxides. This configuration facilitates the separation of oxidant and fuel streams, allowing for high-purity hydrogen production and direct capture of CO2. A rigorous thermodynamic model was developed in Aspen Plus® V12 to simulate the mass and energy balances of the integrated system. The gasifier utilizes both steam and CO₂ as gasifying agents, with syngas calorific values ranging from 12 to 16 MJ/kg for steam and 6–10 MJ/kg for CO2, respectively. The system demonstrates high hydrogen yield and achieves up to 60% steam conversion efficiency in the steam reactor. Sensitivity analyses highlight the system’s robustness across varying operational conditions, particularly temperature and feed ratios. The preliminary energy analysis indicated a hydrogen production efficiency of 17.70%, while the environmental assessment revealed that the global warming potential (GWP) was primarily contributed by the fuel reactor (57.1%), and the acidification potential (AP) was dominated by the air reactor (97.9%). This work lays the foundation for a circular economy framework, transforming hazardous e-waste into a valuable energy resource and advancing the dual goals of sustainable waste valorisation and low-carbon hydrogen generation.