Methanol reformers for fuel cell powered vehicles: Some design considerations
Fuel cells are being developed for use in automotive propulsion systems as alternatives for the internal combustion engine in buses, vans, passenger cars. The two most important operational requirements for a stand-alone fuel cell power system for a vehicle are the ability to start up quickly and the ability to supply the necessary power on demand for the dynamically fluctuating load. Methanol is a likely fuel for use in fuel cells for transportation applications. It is a commodity chemical that is manufactured from coal, natural gas, and other feedstocks. For use in a fuel cell, however, the methanol must first be converted (reformed) to a hydrogen-rich gas mixture. The desired features for a methanol reformer include rapid start-up, good dynamic response, high fuel conversion, small size and weight, simple construction and operation, and low cost. In this paper the present the design considerations that are important for developing such a reformer, namely: (1) a small catalyst bed for quick starting, small size, and low weight; (2) multiple catalysts for optimum operation of the dissociation and reforming reactions; (3) reforming by direct heat transfer partial oxidation for rapid response to fluctuating loads; and (4) thermal independence from the rest of the fuel cell system. 10 refs., 1 fig.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/FE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6338713
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-901106-3; ON: DE91006465
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Fuel cell seminar, Phoenix, AZ (USA), 26-28 Nov 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Reformers for the production of hydrogen from methanol and alternative fuels for fuel cell powered vehicles
Reformers for the production of hydrogen from methanol and alternative fuels for fuel cell powered vehicles
Related Subjects
08 HYDROGEN
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
DESIGN
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
PARTIAL OXIDATION PROCESSES
STEAM REFORMER PROCESSES
METHANOL
CATALYTIC REFORMING
ALCOHOL FUEL CELLS
CATALYSTS
CONSTRUCTION
COPPER OXIDES
COST
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
HEAT TRANSFER
OPERATION
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SIZE
START-UP
WEIGHT
ZINC OXIDES
ALCOHOLS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FUEL CELLS
FUNCTIONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
REFORMER PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VEHICLES
ZINC COMPOUNDS
300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
080103 - Hydrogen- Production- Steam Reformer Processes
080109 - Hydrogen- Production- Partial Oxidation Processes
330300 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems