Microstructured Components for Hydrogen Production from Various Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Fuel cells for mobile and decentral electricity production are of particular interest for compliance with legal regulations concerning exhaust gas emissions and for minimizing the consumption of resources in the future. With them, higher efficiencies can be achieved, noise emissions are reduced, and environmentally relevant pollutant emissions can be avoided. A problem is the supply and storage of H 2 due to its small energy densities and the heavy storage systems. An alternative is the production of hydrogen where it is needed. The system components required, such as the chemical reactor/reformer and the heat exchangers need to have very good dynamics and efficiencies. Here, microstructure technology may be a solution, as extremely high thermal and mass transfer coefficients may minimize the sizes, weights, and energy losses of the devices. The present article focuses on developments made by the Institute for Micro Process Engineering in the field of hydrogen production from methane, methanol, propane, and gasoline.

Microreactor technology and process miniaturization for catalytic reactions—A perspective on recent developments and emerging technologies

“…Fuel cells need a source of hydrogen or methanol, which could be provided by a microreactor system (Daymo et al, 2000). Various microstructured components for hydrogen production from hydrocarbons have been presented by Pfeifer et al (2005). Fig.…”

Modeling of Electrochemistry and Heat/Mass Transfer in a Tubular Solid Oxide Steam Electrolyzer for Hydrogen Production

“…Hydrogen can effectively be produced by reforming fossil fuels, e.g., natural gas steam reforming [1,2]. However, the greenhouse gases produced will cause harm to the environment and fossil fuels will be depleted beyond their economical usage in the foreseeable future.…”

Integrated Microreactor System for Gas-Phase Catalytic Reactions. 1. Scale-up Microreactor Design and Fabrication

“…Microreactor technology (MRT) has evolved over the past decade into an established discipline that has applications ranging from accelerated catalyst screening for chemicals, petroleum intermediates, fine chemicals and intermediates, and pharmaceuticals to small-scale manufacturing of agricultural chemicals, specialties, and other classes of organic chemicals. − In addition to these more traditional chemistry and chemical engineering technologies, MRT has been recently applied to other emerging technologies, such as hydrogen production from hydrocarbons and development of microscale prototype fuel processors. , MRT and microsystem-based processes are also being used in materials science to accelerate the synthesis of new liquid crystals, in biotechnology to study complex Baeyer−Villiger oxidation kinetics, , and in nanotechnology to generate novel nanoparticles . Miniaturization is also playing a vital role in improving technologies that are accelerating discovery research or elucidating new phenomena, such as microscale analytical separations, microparallel chromatography, combinatorial microfluidics, multiphase-flow microhydrodynamics, microscale adhesion mechanics, and multidimensional microflow imaging .…”

“…21 To construct MRT components, new special-purpose materials of construction, fabrication tools, and fabrication techniques are also being created, such as those for fabrication of microcomponents consisting of specialty glass, 22 novel five-axes micromilling machines, 23 and micro ultrasonic welding tools for the joining of tiny polymer-based components. 24 Miniaturization of process devices has also lead to the invention of various special-purpose process components, such as microstructured mixers, 9 ceramic heat exchangers, 25 microscale gas-liquid reactors, 26,27 and fluid-fluid separators. [28][29][30] More detailed descriptions of these and other microscale process components is provided in several recent reviews [5][6][7] and monographs 31,32 on the subject.…”