Electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) offers a viable option for improving bio-oil's properties for use as a fuel product. Studies using ECH are typically performed in a batch reactor, owing to the convenience of the experimental procedures. However, batch studies offer limited rate information and low productivities. For this reason and since continuous systems are preferred in industrial applications, continuous studies are needed. In the following study, a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was modified to act as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell that can continuously convert furfural into its hydrogenated products, furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, under constant current using a Ruthenium catalyst. The cell was designed with an increased geometric surface-area-to-volume ratio compared to current batch reactors to enable quicker conversion. The most significant factor affecting the faradaic efficiency was the current, while product yield was affected most by the initial concentration. Conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5- dihydroxymethyltetrahydrofuran was also observed in significant quantities, however, due to the unavailability of standards, results could not be properly quantified. When operating in a single pass, the reactor was able to achieve successful hydrogenation of furfural to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol for the first 4 hours but was deactivated due to either catalyst leaching or active site blocking.
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