Design and performance experimental study of microchannel ceramic methanol reformer

Abstract

Hydrogen possesses high energy density and emits zero carbon, making it a promising alternative fuel. However, the current storage and transportation of hydrogen pose significant safety risks. The on-site hydrogen production technology through methanol reforming offers a fundamental solution to the challenges of hydrogen storage and transportation. This study presents the design of a microchannel methanol reformer fabricated using cordierite honeycomb ceramics and evaluates its operational performance through multi-parameter experiments. The results show that optimal reforming performance is achieved at a reaction temperature of 553 K, a water-to-methanol ratio of 1.25, and a feed volume of 0.4 ml/min. Under these conditions, methanol conversion reaches 84.99%, hydrogen production amounts to 361.69 ml/min, and the carbon monoxide concentration is 0.6232%, demonstrating good stability during prolonged operation. This study provides valuable insights for the industrialization of methanol reformers and the utilization of hydrogen energy.