EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF AEROGEL INSULATION COMPOSITES OF THE HYDROTHERMAL REACTOR FOR BIOMASS-TO-HYDROGEN CONVERSION

This paper presents aerogel SiO2–TiO2composites used for thermal protection of biomass-to-hydrogen hydrothermal reactor and the method of their production. The technology of aerogel composites production includes the following stages: ion exchange of liquid Na-glass leading to formation of hydrosol silica; hydrosol concentration; formation and maturing of hydrogel; production of SiO2-TiO2alcogel; modification of its surface; subcritical drying of alcogel leading to formation ofSiO2-TiO2 ambigel; its heat treatment, granulating and classification. The influence of the infrared opacifier (titania) and the heat treatment temperature of SiO2-TiO2composite on its structural and thermal characteristics is investigated. Possibilities of increasing the hydrogen yield by reduction of energy losses using vacuum thermal insulation for reactor walls are examined.  

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