On-Board Hydrogen Production: Warm Plasma Chain Catalysis

Abstract

Here we demonstrate an advanced on-board hydrogen production by warm plasma chain catalysis for fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) with high specific productivity and transient operation. Methanol, air and steam reactants as two specific feeds are fed into the reactor without soot formation and catalyst sintering. Oxidative pyrolysis reaction (OPR) by plasma, steam reforming (SR), and pyrolysis at high temperature, and SR and water gas shift (WGS) at medium temperature over catalysts occur subsequently for the coupled process. The heat with OPR is efficiently utilized by the subsequent endothermic reactions. Hydrogen selectivity of 99% (59 vol.%, 4.1 SLM) with methanol conversion of 92% is achieved. A fascinating match of energy efficiency of 91% (of methanol to hydrogen) and the atomic hydrogen generation of 88% is stressed. It can be attributed to the chain catalysis of (oxidative) pyrolysis and WGS in sequence (as well as SR), which is initiated by warm plasma.