A pseudo-transient numerical model is used for the simulation of a multi-functional catalytic plate reactor (CPR). The work mainly addresses the problems associated with on-board reforming for solid-oxide fuel cells. Heat management is achieved by indirectly coupling partial oxidation with reforming. Water management is achieved by partially recycling the anode stream from a solid-oxide fuel cell. The model uses detailed heterogeneous chemistry for reforming and oxidation reactions occurring on the catalyst beds. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Sreenivas Jayanti

Department Of Chemical Engineering

AUXILIARY POWER UNITS

CATALYTIC PLATES

Numerical modeling

PARTIAL OXIDATIONS

REFORMING

AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEMS

catalysis

Computer simulation

Numerical methods

Reforming reactions

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)

Wastewater reclamation

WATER RECYCLING

Catalytic oxidation

IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

Chemical Engineering Science

The potential of methane steam, reforming at microscale is theoretically explored. To this end, a multifunctional catalytic plate microreactor, comprising of a propane combustion channel and a methane steam reforming channel, separated by a solid wall, is simulated with a pseudo 2-D (two-dimensional) reactor model. Newly developed lumped kinetic rate expressions for both processes, obtained front a posteriori reduction of detailed microkinetic models, are used. It is shown that the steam, reforming at millisecond contact times is feasible at microscale, and in agreement with a recent experimental report. Furthermore, the attainable operating regions delimited from the materials stability limit, the breakthrough limit, and the maximum, power output limit are mapped out. A simple operation strategy is presented for obtaining variable power output along the breakthrough line (a nearly iso-flow rate ratio linej, while ensuring good overlap of reaction zones, and provide guidelines for reactor sizing. Finally, it is shown that the choice of the wall material depeneis on the targeted operating regime. Low-conductivity materials increase the methane conversion and power output at the expense of higher wall temperatures and steeper temperature gradients along the wall. For operation close to the breakthrough limit, intermediate conductivity materials, such as stainless steel, offer a good compromise between methane conversion and wall temperature. Even without recuperative heat exchange, the thermal efficiency of the multifunctional device and the reformer approaches -65% and -85%, respectively. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

AIChE Journal

Methane steam reforming at microscales: Operation strategies for wariable power output at iillisecond contact times

IEA Natural Gas Information Statistics

World - Natural gas statistics (Edition 2015)

The roles of catalysis and reaction engineering in overcoming the energy and the environment crisis

Catalysis Today

Steam reforming of methane, ethane, propane, butane, and natural gas over a rhodium-based catalyst

Chemical Engineering & Technology

Millisecond Methane Steam Reforming Via Process and Catalyst Intensification

Numerical study of on-board fuel reforming in a catalytic plate reactor for solid-oxide fuel cells

Journal	Chemical Engineering Science
ISSN	00092509
Open Access	No