Aqueous phase reforming of wastewater streams: a multi-scale perspective towards renewable hydrogen
Annotatsiya
Valorizing wastewater is a central challenge for chemical engineering and a lever for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This webinar focuses on how aqueous phase reforming (APR) can transform carbon-laden water streams into hydrogen through a multi-scale lens, from molecules to reactors to systems. At the molecular scale, we will show how density functional theory illuminates competitive adsorption and non-linear lateral interactions that arise in realistic, multicomponent mixtures, providing mechanistic explanations for trends often masked in mono-component studies. From there, we transition to reaction engineering and implementation. We compare batch and continuous configurations and discuss rigorous product characterization as a prerequisite for closing mass and carbon balances. Sector-specific case studies (bioethanol side streams, food industry effluents, and hydrothermal wastewater fractions) illustrate how feed composition shapes opportunities and constraints. Particular attention is given to catalyst deactivation and to mitigation strategies. Finally, since credible decision-making requires system-level evidence, we frame APR with early-stage techno-economic and environmental assessments. While provisional at low TRL, TEA/LCA guide optimization, uncertainty/sensitivity priorities, and scale-up choices, while point out synergies between APR, hydrothermal liquefaction, and sustainable aviation fuel pathways.