Development of a stand-alone steam methane reformer for on-site hydrogen production. (25th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Jung-Il; Kim, Tae Wan; Chan Park, Ji; Lim, Tak-Hyoung; Jung, Heon; Chun, Dong Hyun
• Is Part Of: International journal of hydrogen energy. Volume 41:Number 19(2016)
• Page Start: 8176
• Page End: 8183
• Publication Date: 2016-05-25
• Subjects: Small stationary reformer -- Stand-alone type -- Steam methane reforming -- Heat-exchanger type reformer -- Hydrogen production rate; Hydrogen as fuel -- Periodicals; Hydrogène (Combustible) -- Périodiques; Hydrogen as fuel; Periodicals; 665.81
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.10.154
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-3199

Abstract

Abstract: A small, stationary reformer designed as a stand-alone and self-sustaining type was developed for on-site hydrogen (H2 ) production. We created a compact reformer to produce H2 at a rate of 1 Nm 3 /h using the previously reported reaction kinetics of steam methane reforming (SMR). Both catalysts for the compact reformer - i.e., 15 wt% and 20 wt% Ni/γ-Al2 O3 - showed good activity, with CH4 conversion exceeding 90% at 655 °C and a contact time of 3.0 gcat h/mol, which were considered critical thresholds in the development of a small, compact stationary reformer. At an H2 production rate of 1 Nm 3 /h, the catalyst amount was calculated to be 167.8 g and the reformer length required to charge the catalyst was 613 mm, with a diameter of 1 inch. The CH4 conversion and H2 production rates achieved with the compact reformer using the 20 wt% Ni/γ-Al2 O3 catalyst at 738 °C were 97.9% and 1.22 Nm 3 /h, respectively. Furthermore, a heat-exchanger type reformer was developed to efficiently carry out the highly endothermic SMR reaction for on-site H2 production. This reformer comprised a tube side (in which the catalysts were charged and the SMR reaction took place by feeding the reactants) and a shell side (in which the heat for the endothermic reaction was supplied by CH4 combustion). Reforming activities were evaluated using the active 20 wt% Ni/γ-Al2 O3 catalyst, depending on the reactants' gas hourly space velocity (GHSV). The H2 production rate increased as the GHSV increased. Finally, the reformer produced a CH4 conversion of 98.0% and an H2 production rate of 1.97 Nm 3 /h at 745 °C, as well as a high reactants' GHSV of 10, 000 h −1 . Therefore, the heat-exchanger type reformer proved to be an effective system for conducting the highly endothermic SMR reaction with a high reactants' GHSV to yield a high rate of H2 production. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Development of the compact reformer for 1 Nm 3 /h production rate. The heat-exchanger type reformer with CH4 combustion as a stand-alone and self-sustaining type for on-site H2 production. 99.7% CH4 conversion and 1.21 Nm 3 /h H2 production rate obtained by the heat-exchanger type reformer at 798 °C. The H2 production rate was increased with increasing the reactants' GHSV.