Hydrogen production from aqueous-phase reforming of sorghum biomass: An application of the response surface methodology

Aqueous-phase reforming (APR) of sorghum hydrolyzate was performed in a fixed bed reactor applying response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box–Behnken design (BBD) to produce hydrogen gas. The results showed that RSM based on the BBD was a well-matched method for optimizing of APR of sorghum hydrolyzate. The independent variables such as interactive effects of temperature, feed flow rate, and carbon content of sorghum hydrolyzate on the APR were investigated. The mathematical model and experimental results showed that the operation temperature was the main positive linear effect whereas the interaction between temperature and feed flow rate was the main negative linear effect on the hydrogen yield. The highest hydrogen production was found to be a temperature of 270 °C, a hydrolyzate flow rate of 0.30 mL/min, and a carbon content of biomass concentration of 2500 mg/L. The highest H2/CO2 mole ratio (7.9) obtained at 270 °C when carbon content of sorghum hydrolyzate was 1000 mg/L. •RSM combined with BBD is a well-matched method for optimizing H2 production in APR.•Operating temperature was the main factor on the H2 yield.•The highest H2/CO2 mol ratio (7.9) obtained at 270 °C.