Structural design of self-thermal methanol steam reforming microreactor with porous combustion reaction support for hydrogen production

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 45; no. 43; pp. 22437 - 22447
• Main Authors: Zheng, Tianqing, Zhou, Wei, Li, Xinying, You, Huihui, Yang, Yifan, Yu, Wei, Zhang, Chenying, Chu, Xuyang, San Hui, Kwan, Ding, Weihua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 03.09.2020
• Subjects: Microreactor for hydrogen production; Porous reaction support; Self-thermal reaction; Thermal distribution; Self-thermal reaction; Porous reaction support; Thermal distribution; Microreactor for hydrogen production
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.06.107

To replace the traditional electric heating mode and increase methanol steam reforming reaction performance in hydrogen production, methanol catalytic combustion was proposed as heat-supply mode for methanol steam reforming microreactor. In this study, the methanol catalytic combustion microreactor and self-thermal methanol steam reforming microreactor for hydrogen production were developed. Furthermore, the catalytic combustion reaction supports with different structures were designed. It was found that the developed self-thermal methanol steam reforming microreactor had better reaction performance. Compared with A-type, the △Tmax of C-type porous reaction support was decreased by 24.4 °C under 1.3 mL/min methanol injection rate. Moreover, methanol conversion and H2 flow rate of the self-thermal methanol steam reforming microreactor with C-type porous reaction support were increased by 15.2% under 10 mL/h methanol-water mixture injection rate and 340 °C self-thermal temperature. Meanwhile, the CO selectivity was decreased by 4.1%. This work provides a new structural design of the self-thermal methanol steam reforming microreactor for hydrogen production for the fuel cell. [Display omitted] •Methanol catalytic combustion microreactor is developed.•Self-thermal microreactor for hydrogen production is developed.•Catalytic combustion reaction supports with different structures are designed.•△Tmax of combustion microreactor with C-type support is decreased by 24.4 °C.•Performance of self-thermal microreactor with C-type support is increased by 15.2%.