Investigation of a methanol reformer concept considering the particular impact of dynamics and long-term stability for use in a fuel-cell-powered passenger car

被引:57
作者
Peters, R [1 ]
Düsterwald, HG [1 ]
Höhlein, B [1 ]
机构
[1] Forschungszentrum Julich, Inst Mat & Proc Energy Syst IWV 3, Energy Proc Engn, D-52425 Julich, Germany
关键词
compact methanol reformer; dynamic operation; catalyst ageing; fuel cell drive system;
D O I
10.1016/S0378-7753(99)00477-2
中图分类号
O64 [物理化学(理论化学)、化学物理学];
学科分类号
070304 ; 081704 ;
摘要
A methanol reformer concept including a reformer, a catalytic burner, a gas cleaning unit, a PEMFC and an electric motor for use in fuel-cell-powered passenger cars was investigated. Special emphasis was placed on the dynamics and the long-term stability of the reformer. Experiments on a laboratory scale were performed in a methanol steam reformer consisting of four different reactor tubes, which were separately balanced. Due to the endothermy of the steam reforming reaction of methanol, a sharp drop in the reaction temperature of about 50 K occurs at the beginning of the catalyst bed. This ag-rees well with the high catalytic activity at the entrance of the catalyst bed. Forty-five percent of the methanol was converted within the first 10 cm of the catalyst bed where 12.6 g of the CuO/ZnO catalyst was located. Furthermore, CO formation during methanol steam reforming strongly depends on methanol conversion. Long-term measurements for more than 700 h show that the active reaction zone moved through the catalyst bed. Calculations, on the basis of these experiments, revealed that 63 g of reforming catalyst was necessary for mobile PEMFC applications, in this case for 400 W(el) at a system efficiency of 42% and a theoretical specific hydrogen production of 5.2 m(n)(3)/(h kg(Cat)). This amount of catalyst was assumed to maintain a hydrogen production of at least 80% of the original amount over an operating range of 3864 h. Cycled start-up and shut-down processes of the methanol steam reformer under nitrogen and hydrogen atmospheres did not harm the catalytic activity. The simulation of the breakdown of the heating system, in which a liquid water/methanol mixture was in close contact with the catalyst, did not reveal any deactivation of the catalytic activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:507 / 514
页数:8
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