Design Of Methanol Steam Reformer Based On Porous Metal

In this paper, under the background of preparing micro-methanol reformer catalyst, we look for a novel way of supporting applying to the methanol steam reforming system, in order to realize the applycation in protable online integrate hydrogen production system. Around the porous metal foam carrier, and commercial copper based methanol reforming catalysts, through a systematic study of the carrier,supporting method, reforming cavity structure, catalyst parameter, we design to develop a excellent reformer with high reforming efficiency, conversion rate, stable, low CO content, and revels reasons why performance improves.Experimental compared different ways of supporting commercial copper-based methanol reforming catalyst to the surface of copper metal foam, concluded that poor stability of alumina sol makes it obtained easily solidified, unable to disperse catalyst particles, while the viscosity and stability of bentonite make it applicable to support the catalyst. Characterization by means of SEM, reveals the ability of copper foam tu carry catalyst is better than nickel, similar to the surface oxidated copper foam, due to the presence of cracks in the surface of copper foam, high surface roughness, and the layer of copper oxide on the surface of foam with water absorption. Though the test platform built, we tesed the feasibility of using betonite verify the commercial catalyst supported on copper foam, and a low methanol conversion result is obtained. Analysis indicates that time of the reactants in contact with the catalyst is short, and not sufficient.We proposed channel-copper foam reformer, the reforming chamber in series after cutted longitudinally to extend the contact time of reactants with the catalyst. After running the test we found that methanol conversion rate proved obviously which indicates this method does increase the conversion of methanol. Experimentally we derived optimal experimental parameters: water-methanol molar ratio1.4:1, inlet speed1ml/min, operating temperature250℃, we get a methanol conversion of74.38%at the condition of bentonite-catalyst mass ration1:5，which is the best, and CO contant in outlet gas is only0.76%. Analysis indicates that the water-soluble colloidal particles bentonite probability covered the catalyst particles active sites.