Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst
Methanol as a hydrogen carrier can be reformed with steam over Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> catalysts. In this paper a comprehensive pseudo-homogenous model of a multi-tubular packed-bed reformer has been developed to investigate the impact of operating conditions and g...
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/3/610 |
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| author | Jimin Zhu Samuel Simon Araya Xiaoti Cui Simon Lennart Sahlin Søren Knudsen Kær |
| author_facet | Jimin Zhu Samuel Simon Araya Xiaoti Cui Simon Lennart Sahlin Søren Knudsen Kær |
| author_sort | Jimin Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Methanol as a hydrogen carrier can be reformed with steam over Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> catalysts. In this paper a comprehensive pseudo-homogenous model of a multi-tubular packed-bed reformer has been developed to investigate the impact of operating conditions and geometric parameters on its performance. A kinetic Langmuir-Hinshelwood model of the methanol steam reforming process was proposed. In addition to the kinetic model, the pressure drop and the mass and heat transfer phenomena along the reactor were taken into account. This model was verified by a dynamic model in the platform of ASPEN. The diffusion effect inside catalyst particles was also estimated and accounted for by the effectiveness factor. The simulation results showed axial temperature profiles in both tube and shell side with different operating conditions. Moreover, the lower flow rate of liquid fuel and higher inlet temperature of thermal air led to a lower concentration of residual methanol, but also a higher concentration of generated CO from the reformer exit. The choices of operating conditions were limited to ensure a tolerable concentration of methanol and CO in H<sub>2</sub>-rich gas for feeding into a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) stack. With fixed catalyst load, the increase of tube number and decrease of tube diameter improved the methanol conversion, but also increased the CO concentration in reformed gas. In addition, increasing the number of baffle plates in the shell side increased the methanol conversion and the CO concentration. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e6c47fa0eca40adac6f9f9895575362 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:30:23Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e6c47fa0eca40adac6f9f98955753622022-12-22T03:59:29ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-01-0113361010.3390/en13030610en13030610Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> CatalystJimin Zhu0Samuel Simon Araya1Xiaoti Cui2Simon Lennart Sahlin3Søren Knudsen Kær4Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 111, 9220 Aalborg Ø, DenmarkDepartment of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 111, 9220 Aalborg Ø, DenmarkDepartment of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 111, 9220 Aalborg Ø, DenmarkDepartment of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 111, 9220 Aalborg Ø, DenmarkDepartment of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 111, 9220 Aalborg Ø, DenmarkMethanol as a hydrogen carrier can be reformed with steam over Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> catalysts. In this paper a comprehensive pseudo-homogenous model of a multi-tubular packed-bed reformer has been developed to investigate the impact of operating conditions and geometric parameters on its performance. A kinetic Langmuir-Hinshelwood model of the methanol steam reforming process was proposed. In addition to the kinetic model, the pressure drop and the mass and heat transfer phenomena along the reactor were taken into account. This model was verified by a dynamic model in the platform of ASPEN. The diffusion effect inside catalyst particles was also estimated and accounted for by the effectiveness factor. The simulation results showed axial temperature profiles in both tube and shell side with different operating conditions. Moreover, the lower flow rate of liquid fuel and higher inlet temperature of thermal air led to a lower concentration of residual methanol, but also a higher concentration of generated CO from the reformer exit. The choices of operating conditions were limited to ensure a tolerable concentration of methanol and CO in H<sub>2</sub>-rich gas for feeding into a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) stack. With fixed catalyst load, the increase of tube number and decrease of tube diameter improved the methanol conversion, but also increased the CO concentration in reformed gas. In addition, increasing the number of baffle plates in the shell side increased the methanol conversion and the CO concentration.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/3/610methanol steam reformingmulti-tubular packed-bed reformerhydrogen productiontemperature profilegeometric parameter |
| spellingShingle | Jimin Zhu Samuel Simon Araya Xiaoti Cui Simon Lennart Sahlin Søren Knudsen Kær Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst Energies methanol steam reforming multi-tubular packed-bed reformer hydrogen production temperature profile geometric parameter |
| title | Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst |
| title_full | Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst |
| title_fullStr | Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst |
| title_short | Modeling and Design of a Multi-Tubular Packed-Bed Reactor for Methanol Steam Reforming over a Cu/ZnO/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Catalyst |
| title_sort | modeling and design of a multi tubular packed bed reactor for methanol steam reforming over a cu zno al sub 2 sub o sub 3 sub catalyst |
| topic | methanol steam reforming multi-tubular packed-bed reformer hydrogen production temperature profile geometric parameter |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/3/610 |
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