A Compact Reformer for Portable Fuel Cells

A compact reformer to generate hydrogen for portable fuel cell applications is presented. This reformer is a conventional type single-path tubular reactor packed with granular catalyst particles in which steam reforming and catalytic partial oxidation reactions take place in series using a mixture of methanol and water as a feed. The novel feature of this reformer is in the interlacing of the flow path for efficient heat transfer between the reactor sections where the endothermic steam reforming reaction and the exothermic partial oxidation reaction are taking place respectively. Experiment using a commercial catalyst (CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃) showed a feed conversion as large as 85% at an operating temperature of 250¢ªC or below, and the hydrogen concentration higher than 75% in the product gas. Observed pressure drop for the gaseous flow through a packed tube agrees well with a theoretical prediction.