Sanjay Patel

Production of Hydrogen With Low Carbon Monoxide Formation Via Catalytic Steam Reforming of Methanol

The production of hydrogen was investigated in a fixed bed tubular reactor via steam reforming of methanol (SRM) using CuO/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts prepared by wet impregnation method and characterized by measuring surface area, pore volume, x-ray diffraction patterns, and scanning electron microscopy photographs. The SRM was carried out at atmospheric pressure, temperature 493-573 K, steam to methanol molar ratio I-1.8 and contact-time (W/F) 3-15 kg cat./(mol/s of methanol). Effects of reaction temperature, contact-time, steam to methanol molar ratio and zinc content of the catalyst on methanol conversion, selectivity, and product yields was evaluated. The addition of zinc enhanced the methanol conversion and hydrogen production. The excess steam promoted the methanol conversion and suppressed the carbon monoxide formation. Different strategies have been mentioned to minimize the carbon monoxide formation for the steam reforming of methanol to produce polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell grade hydrogen. Optimum operating conditions with appropriate composition of catalyst has been investigated to produce more selective hydrogen with minimum carbon monoxide. The experimental results were fitted well with the kinetic model available in literature.

Thermodynamic analysis and heat integration for hydrogen production from bio-butanol for SOFC application: Steam reforming vs. autothermal reforming

ABSTRACT Thermodynamic analysis of hydrogen production by steam reforming and autothermal reforming of bio-butanol was investigated for solid oxide fuel cell applications. The effects of reformer operating conditions, e.g., reformer temperature, steam to carbon molar ratio, and oxygen to carbon molar ratio, were investigated with the objective to maximize hydrogen production and to reduce utility requirements of the process and based on which favorable conditions of reformer were proposed. Process flow diagram for steam reforming and autothermal reforming integrated with solid oxide fuel cell was developed. Heat integration with pinch analysis method was carried out for both the processes at favorable reformer conditions. Power generation, electrical efficiency, useful energy for co-generation application, and utility requirements for both the processes were compared.

Hydrogen Production for PEM Fuel Cells via Oxidative Steam Reforming of Methanol Using Cu-Al Catalysts Modified With Ce and Cr

The performance of Cu-Ce-Al-oxide and Cu-Cr-Al-oxide catalysts of varying compositions prepared by co-precipitation method was evaluated for the PEM fuel cell grade hydrogen production via oxidative steam reforming of methanol (OSRM). The limitations of partial oxidation and steam reforming of methanol for the hydrogen production for PEM fuel cell could be overcome using OSRM and can be performed auto-thermally with idealized reaction stoichiomatry. Catalysts surface area and pore volume were determined using N2 adsorption-desorption method. The final elemental compositions were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Crystalline phases of catalyst samples were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) demonstrated that the incorporation of Ce improved the copper reducibility significantly compared to Cr promoter. The OSRM was carried out in a fixed bed catalytic reactor. Reaction temperature, contact-time (W/F) and oxygen to methanol (O/M) molar ratio varied from 200–300°C, 3–21 kgcat s mol−1 and 0–0.5 respectively. The steam to methanol (S/M) molar ratio = 1.4 and pressure = 1 atm were kept constant. Catalyst Cu-Ce-Al:30-10-60 exhibited 100% methanol conversion and 152 mmol s−1 kgcat −1 hydrogen production rate at 300°C with carbon monoxide formation as low as 1300 ppm, which reduces the load on preferential oxidation of CO to CO2 (PROX) significantly before feeding the hydrogen rich stream to the PEM fuel cell as a feed. The higher catalytic performance of Ce containing catalysts was attributed to the improved Cu reducibility, higher surface area, and better copper dispersion. Reaction parameters were optimized in order to maximize the hydrogen production and to keep the CO formation as low as possible. The time-on-stream stability test showed that the Cu-Ce-Al-oxide catalysts subjected to a moderate deactivation compared to Cu-Cr-Al-oxide catalysts. The amount of carbon deposited onto the catalysts was determined using TG/DTA thermogravimetric analyzer. C1s spectra were obtained by surface analysis of post reaction catalysts using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the nature of coke deposited.© 2006 ASME