A survey of nickel-based catalysts and monolithic reformers of the onboard fuel reforming system for fuel cell APU applications

Abstract

Summary This paper presented a detailed survey of the catalysts for fuel reforming, including nickel‐based catalysts with alkalis, alkaline earths, rare earths, noble metals, and hydrotalcite‐type precursors. All these additions can enhance the Ni catalysts in regarding with activity, coke resistivity, and sintering resistivity. Smaller Ni particle size, more even particle dispersion, and less free NiO and NiAl2O4 can be obtained with these additions. Physicochemical characterization, activity, stability, coke resistance, and the effects of different precursors were summarized and compared. Development of the most commonly used monolithic reformer was also summarized, and different reformer configurations were presented chronologically. Homogeneous mixing of the completely evaporated fuel with air and steam, as well as uniform distribution of the mixture flow are the two main concerns in reformer design. Reforming energy conversion efficiency around 80%, power density above 3 kW/L, and specific power above 3 kW/kg are also reported in the most recent monolithic reformer. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Steam Reforming of Methanol for Hydrogen Production: A Critical Analysis of Catalysis, Processes, and Scope

“…5−8 Unlike other fossil fuels, hydrogen cannot be obtained directly from the environment but needs to be obtained by various reforming reactions like steam reforming, auto thermal reforming, and partial oxidation. 9 Hydrogen generation from methane was undertaken largely, but it suffers from drawbacks in the industrial application of being a complex process, safety in storage, and difficulty in the transportation of hydrogen. 10 1.1.…”

“…All of these sources, except hydrogen, suffer from a lack of availability around the year . Hydrogen has proven to be a beneficial alternative to other conventional energy sources in fuel cells owing to its higher energy density along with no GHG. , Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are widely accepted as energy sources for transportation. − Unlike other fossil fuels, hydrogen cannot be obtained directly from the environment but needs to be obtained by various reforming reactions like steam reforming, auto thermal reforming, and partial oxidation . Hydrogen generation from methane was undertaken largely, but it suffers from drawbacks in the industrial application of being a complex process, safety in storage, and difficulty in the transportation of hydrogen …”

Review on Copper and Palladium Based Catalysts for Methanol Steam Reforming to Produce Hydrogen

“…Three main onboard fuel processing mechanisms to produce hydrogen are steam reforming, partial oxidation and auto thermal reforming [8]. Steam reforming is the most industrial kind of mature technology and it is also the most commonly employed process to produce hydrogen from methanol reforming [9].…”

Numerical simulation of heat‐pipe and folded reformers for efficient hydrogen production through methane autothermal reforming

“…1 Methane autothermal reforming makes use of the features of both the endothermic steam reforming and the exothermic partial oxidation reactions such that the reaction system can be self-heating. 2 In order to explore this methane autothermal reforming area, both experimental and simulation studies have been carried out. 3 However, there are still two problems that need to be solved for the efficient hydrogen production through this method: firstly, the equilibrium state of the exothermic and endothermic reactions, limited by the heat conduction, can hardly be achieved; in addition, the formation of the hot spot in the fixed bed reformer is catastrophic for the stability and activity of the catalyst.…”

“…Autothermal reforming (ATR) of methane has received more and more attention in research during the recent years as a viable process for hydrogen generation 1 . Methane autothermal reforming makes use of the features of both the endothermic steam reforming and the exothermic partial oxidation reactions such that the reaction system can be self‐heating 2 . In order to explore this methane autothermal reforming area, both experimental and simulation studies have been carried out 3 .…”