An analytical and experimental investigation of high-pressure catalytic steam reforming of ethanol in a hydrogen selective membrane reactor

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 2004 - 2017
• Main Authors: Papadias, Dennis D., Lee, Sheldon H.D., Ferrandon, Magali, Ahmed, Shabbir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Catalysts; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Ethanol; Ethanol steam reforming; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Flux; Fuel cells; Fuels; High-pressure reforming; Hydrogen; Hydrogen from biofuels; Hydrogen membrane reactor; Mathematical models; Membranes; Reactors; Reforming; Hydrogen from biofuels; Ethanol steam reforming; High-pressure reforming; Hydrogen membrane reactor; Polymer electrolytes; Ethanol; Biofuel; Palladium alloy; Catalytic reforming; Fuel cell vehicles; Experimental study; Modeling; High pressure; Project; Membrane reactor; Membrane; Steam reforming; Catalyst; Hydrogen production
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.12.042

The objective of this work was to explore the benefits of high-pressure steam reforming of ethanol for the production of hydrogen needed to refuel the high-pressure tanks of fuel cell (polymer electrolyte) vehicles. This paper reports on the potential efficiency benefits and challenges of pressurized reforming and options for dealing with the challenges; it reports the results from experiments in a micro-reactor, followed by a modeling study of the reactor to project the dependence of the hydrogen yields on process parameters. The experiments were conducted in the range of approximately 7–70 atm, 600–750 °C, steam-to-carbon molar ratios of 3–12, and gas hourly space velocities of 8500–83,000 per hour. By placing a hydrogen-transporting palladium-alloy membrane within the catalyst zone, this study quantified the beneficial effect of hydrogen extraction from the reforming zone. The model was used to explore the parameter space to define the reactor and conditions that would be needed to approach the efficiency targets for distributed hydrogen production plants. The results indicate that the tested catalyst was sufficiently active, and the hydrogen yield achieved with the experimental membrane reactor was limited by the low hydrogen flux of the tested membrane. The reactor model predicts that a membrane with at least 20 times higher flux than currently evaluated would be sufficient to generate hydrogen yields to match efficiency targets of 72%.