Steam Reforming of Methanol in a Compact Copper Microchannel Foam Reactor

Abstract

AbstractHydrogen production via steam reforming of methanol over a rare earth‐promoted Cu‐based catalyst washcoated on a microchannel foam reactor (MFR) was investigated. A low reforming temperature of 242 °C at a weight hourly space velocity for the methanol/catalyst of 10 h–1 was observed in the MFR, which is lower than the 270 °C reforming temperature observed in a traditional packed‐bed reactor (PBR). According to a measurement of the reforming temperature distribution, the MFR made of Cu foam in this study exhibits extraordinary heat conductivity. The heat rate supplied from the external heating source can be transferred instantly to the reaction sites of the washcoated catalyst layer through a three‐dimensional framework of Cu microchannels. As a result, the cold spots normally encountered in a PBR are minimized effectively so that a high conversion of steam reforming of methanol is obtained. Moreover, the use of a high performance compact MFR with a volume of 4 mL as a portable hydrogen source is suggested. A hydrogen production rate of 280 mL min–1 with a CO fraction of 1.5% was obtained, which can yield a practical power output of 25 W using a commercial proton exchange membrane fuel cell with an operational efficiency of 50%.