Novel Nickel Foam with Multiple Microchannels as Combustion Reaction Support for the Self-Heating Methanol Steam Reforming Microreactor

Abstract

To improve hydrogen production performance of self-heating methanol steam reforming (MSR) microreactor, a novel nickel foam with multiple microchannels was proposed as combustion reaction support. A wall temperature comparison of the methanol combustion microreactors with nickel foam catalyst support and particles catalyst support in the combustion reaction process was performed. According to the numerical simulation results of combustion reaction of nickel foam, the shape and size of multiple microchannels of nickel foam were determined. The laser processing was then used to fabricate the multiple microchannels of nickel foam. The experimental results show that the methanol combustion microreactor with nickel foam loaded with Pt catalyst exhibits similar wall temperature distribution with the methanol combustion microreactor with 2 O 3 particles reaction support. Compared with the nickel foam without microchannel, the T max (maximum temperature difference) and the maximum in the temperature distribution of nickel foam with multiple microchannels decreased respectively by 57.8% and 33.8 when 1.1 mL/min methanol flow rate was used.Hydrogen production performance of self-heating MSR microreactor using the nickel foam with multiple microchannels increased by about 21% when 430 reforming temperature and 4 mL/h methanol-water mixture flow rate were performed.

3D-Printed Regular-Porous Structure with Trapezoidal Multiple Microchannels as Combustion Reaction Support for the Autothermal Methanol Steam Reforming Microreactor for Hydrogen Production

“…The COUPLED algorithm is set as the solution method of the model. The other setting parameters of the model are the same as those of our previous research . Reactant concentration and temperature distributions of the regular-porous CRSs with various multiple microchannels are investigated under a 0.8 mL/min injection rate of combustion methanol and a 4 mL/h injection rate of methanol–water mixture to determine the suitable structure of CRS.…”

“…Regarding the combustion catalyst, the influences of elemental composition, preparation method, and catalyst condition on the reaction performance of the catalyst were studied, and various catalysts, such as Pt/Al 2 O 3 , , Pt nanoparticles, , and Au-Ru/TiO 2 , were obtained. Regarding the combustion reaction support, various combustion reaction supports (CRSs), such as a metal plate with surface microchannels, ball particles, and metal foam, , were investigated. To achieve low ΔTA of CRS, different methods, such as the determination of the feasible material of CRS, the coupling of copper foam with Pt particles, and the design of multiple microchannels on nickel foam, have been performed.…”

“…Regarding the combustion reaction support, various combustion reaction supports (CRSs), such as a metal plate with surface microchannels, ball particles, and metal foam, , were investigated. To achieve low ΔTA of CRS, different methods, such as the determination of the feasible material of CRS, the coupling of copper foam with Pt particles, and the design of multiple microchannels on nickel foam, have been performed. Pierre et al explored the combustion performance of metal plates with surface microchannels .…”

“…Chen et al explored the effect of CRSs with different thermal conductivities on the hot spot and HP performance of the ATMSR microreactor . Our research group developed copper foam coupled with Pt particles and nickel foam coupled with multiple microchannels as CRSs, investigating the effects of Pt particle distribution of the copper foam and multiple microchannels of the nickel foam on the ΔTA of the ATMSR microreactor for HP. , …”

The Impacts of Surface Microchannels on the Transport Properties of Porous Fibrous Media Using Stochastic Pore Network Modeling

“…These works further inspire the idea of the combination of microchannels and pore structures (Figure 1). Fabricating microchannels on porous structures was proposed [11][12][13] and applied in a methanol steam reforming (MSR) as catalyst support layers, and enhanced hydrogen production was obtained comparing the ones without microchannels. However, on the one hand, experimental measurements for obtaining physical properties could be hard to conduct due to a small pore size.…”