Thermochemical processes for biohydrogen production

Abstract Hydrogen energy has extremely broad development prospects as a future energy carrier. However, the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels usually leads to the generation of carbon dioxide. Compared with fossil fuels, the production of hydrogen from waste has multiple advantages. Wastes, such as agriculture, forestry, industry, and municipal wastes, are misplaced energy sources. Many scholars have studied their resource use, particularly for hydrogen production. There are different hydrogen production processes in different periods. The preparation of hydrogen from waste through pyrolysis, gasification, and steam gasification can deal with a large number of wastes effectively and reduce environmental pollution; it also has certain economic benefits. This chapter first briefly introduces the four hydrogen production technologies; then, it details pyrolysis hydrogen production, gasification hydrogen production, and supercritical water gasification production in thermochemical conversion hydrogen production technology. Finally, from the perspective of the thermochemical conversion of waste to produce hydrogen, the combined production of agricultural and forestry waste, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and various types of waste is introduced, including the classification and characteristics of waste and progress in the thermochemical conversion of hydrogen production.