A columnar regular-porous stainless steel reaction support with high superficial area for hydrogen production

Abstract

To improve hydrogen production (HP) performance of regular-porous structure (RPS), a columnar RPS with small specific surface area and high superficial area is developed. A numerical simulation model of regular-porous stainless steel structure (RPSSS) is established. Subsequently, heat transfer performance, pressure loss, temperature, methanol concentration, H 2 concentration distributions and HP performance of the columnar RPSSS with small specific surface area and high superficial area and the body-centered cubic RPSSS with high specific surface area and small superficial area are compared. Then, temperature, methanol concentration, H 2 concentration distributions and HP performance of axial and longitudinal size-enlarged columnar RPSSSs are studied. The results show that compared to the body-centered cubic RPSSS, the columnar RPSSS has higher methanol conversion, larger H 2 flow rate and higher CO selectivity. Especially in the condition of 300 °C wall temperature and 12 mL/h methanol-water mixture injection rate (MWMIR), the methanol conversion, H 2 flow rate and CO selectivity of the columnar RPSSS are increased by 12.3%, 9.24% and 30%, respectively, indicating that the superficial area of RPSSS is more important for its HP performance compared to its specific surface area. Compared to the longitudinal size-enlarged columnar RPSSS, the axial size-enlarged columnar RPSSS has higher methanol conversion, larger H 2 flow rate and higher CO selectivity. This research work provides a new method for the optimization of hydrogen production reaction support (HPRS). Hydrogen production numerical simulation model of columnar regular-porous stainless steel reaction support. • A columnar regular-porous hydrogen production reaction support is proposed. • A numerical simulation model of regular-porous stainless steel structure is built. • Heat transfer ability and pressure loss of regular-porous structure are studied. • Temperature and reactant concentration of regular-porous structure are explored. • Hydrogen production performance of regular-porous structure is investigated.