• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.350-355
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• 2005

소형 PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell)는 전기를 만들기 위해서 고순도의 수소를 필요로 한다. 각각의 마이크로 성형된 금속박판(스테인레스 스틸, 알루미늄)을 진공 브레이징법으로 접합하여 수소공급용 소형 개질기를 제작하였다. 마이크로 채널의 내부는 졸-겔법(스테인레스 스틸)과 양극산화법(알루미늄)으로 촉매를 지지하기 위한 다공성 $Al_2O_3$ 층을 형성시켰다. 스테인레스 스틸 박판은 에칭과 브레이징에 유리하였으나, 표면산화층 코팅을 균일하게 하여 안정적인 촉매반응을 유도하기 위한 균일한 표면 산화층 형성이 힘들었다. 반면 알루미늄 박판은 표면 산화층 형성이 상대적으로 용이했으며, 촉매를 상하지 않는 낮은 온도에서의 적층이 가능했다.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.749-760
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• 2022

An efficient computational fluid dynamics model was proposed for simulating microchannel-type steam/methane reformers with thin washcoat catalyst layers. In this model, by using the effectiveness factor correlations, the overall reaction rate that occurs in the washcoat catalyst layer could be accurately estimated without performing the detailed calculation of heat transfer, mass transfer, and reforming reactions therein. The accuracy of the proposed model was validated by solving a microchannel-type reformer, once by fully considering the complex steam/methane reforming (SMR) process inside the washcoat layer and again by simplifying the SMR calculation using the effectiveness factor correlations. Finally, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of operating conditions on the SMR performance.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

In this study, an efficient one-dimensional model was developed for predicting microchannel steam/methane reformers with thin washcoat catalyst layers with a focus on low-pressure reforming conditions suitable for distributed hydrogen production systems for fuel cell applications. The governing equations for steam/methane mixture gas flowing through the microchannel reformer were derived considering the species conservation with reforming reactions and energy conservation with external convective heat supply. The reaction rates for the developed model were simply determined through the catalyst effectiveness factor correlations instead of performing complicated calculations for the steam/methane reforming process occurring inside the washcoat catalyst layers. The accuracy of the developed was verified by comparing the results obtained herein with those obtained by the detailed computational fluid dynamics calculation for the same microchannel reformer.