• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.497-503
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• 2008

Hydrogen is considered as a fuel of the future for its renewability and environmental compatibility. The reforming of hydrocarbon fuels is currently the most important source of hydrogen, which is expected to continue for next several decades. In this study, extensive CFD simulations on the steam-methane reforming process were conducted to study the performance of four reaction models, i.e. three Arrhenius-type models and a user-defined function (UDF) model. The accuracies of different reaction models for various operating temperatures and steam carbon ratios (SCRs) were evaluated by comparing their CFD results with zero-dimensional intrinsic model of Xu and Froment. It was found that the UDF model generally produced more accurate results than Arrhenius-type models. However, it was also shown that Arrhenius-type models could be made sufficiently accurate by choosing appropriate reaction coefficients, and thus could also be useful for the simulation of the steam-methane reforming process.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.156.1-156.1
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• 2011

It is of great importance to predict operating parameter characteristics of an integrated fuel processor by the increased life-time and system performance. In this study, computational analysis is performed to gain fundamental insights on transport phenomena and chemical reactions in reformer which consists of preheating, steam reforming, and water gas shift reaction beds. Also, a top-fired burner locates inside of the reforming system. The combustor is providing thermal energy necessary for the steam reforming bed which is a endothermic catalytic reactor. Two-dimensional numerical model of the integrated fuel processing system is introduced for the analysis of heat and mass transport phenomena as well as surface kinetics and catalytic process. A kinetic model was developed and then computational results were compared with the experimental data available in the literature. Subsequently, parameter study using the validated steam methane reforming model was conducted by considering operating parameters, i.e. steam to carbon ratio and temperature.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2009

The steam reformer for hydrogen production from methane is studied by a numerical method. Langmuir- Hinshelwood model is incorporated for catalytic surface reactions, and the pseudo-homogeneous model is used to take into account local equilibrium phenomena between a catalyst and bulk gas. Dominant chemical reactions are Steam Reforming (SR) reaction, Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction, and Direct Steam Reforming (DSR) reaction. The numerical results are validated with experimental results at the same operating conditions. Using the validated code, parametric study has been numerically performed in view of the steam reformer performance. As increasing a wall temperature, the fuel conversion increases due to the high heat transfer rate. When Steam to Carbon Ratio (SCR) increases, the concentration of carbon monoxide decreases since WGS reaction becomes more active. When increasing Gas Hourly Space Velocity (GHSV), the fuel conversion decreases due to the heat transfer limitation and the low residence time. The reactor shape effects are also investigated. The length and radius of cylindrical reactors are changed at the same catalyst volume. The longer steam reformer is, the better steam reformer performs. However, system energy efficiency decreases due to the large pressure drop.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.226.1-226.1
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• 2010

본연구에서는 GTL(gas to liquids)공정의 합성가스 생산을 위해 수증기-이산화탄소 복합개질반응(Combined Steam and Carbon dioxide Reforming of Methane, CSCRM)을 수행하였다. CSCRM은 수증기와 이산화탄소의 공급비 조절을 통해 $H_2$/CO비를 2로 맞추기 용이한 장점을 지니고 있어 다른 단일 개질 반응과 달리 합성가스 생산 시 $H_2$/CO 비율을 조절하기 위한 부가적인 공정이 필요하지 않아 경제적인 공정이다. 일반적으로 사용되는 Ni개질촉매는 가격대비 우수한 성능을 보이지만 S/C비가 낮은 CSCRM의 경우 촉매표면의 탄소침적에 의한 비활성화가 야기되는 문제점이 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 산소저장능력과 산소전달능력이 우수한 $CeO_2$를 조촉매로 첨가하여 표면에 형성된 코크 제거가 용이하도록 하였다. Ni-Ce/$MgAl_2O_4$촉매는 동시함침법(co-impregnation)으로 제조하였으며, Ni의 함량을 10wt%로 고정한 상태에서 Ce의 함량을 조절하여 Ce/Ni 최적비를 찾고자 하였다. XRD, TPR, BET, $H_2$-Chemisorption과 같은 촉매의 특성분석을 통해 촉매의 비표면적, 환원특성과 Ni입자의 분산도 등을 확인하였다. Ce를 첨가함에 따라 Ce2.5wt%까지는 비표면적이 증가하다가 이후 점차 줄어드는 경향성을 보였다. 또한, $H_2$-Chemisorption 결과 역시 비표면적과 유사한 경향성을 보였는데, Ce5.0wt%까지 Ni 분산도가 증가 하다가 다시 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 반응실험은 $H_2O:CO_2:CH_4:N_2$ = 0.8:0.4:1:1의 공급조건에서 수행하였으며, 질소와 수소 환원분위기로 $700^{\circ}C$에서 1시간 환원 후 $650^{\circ}C$에서 $550^{\circ}C$범위로 온도를 떨어뜨려가면서 반응을 수행하였다. Ce를 첨가함에 따라 $CH_4$ 전환율이 증가를 하다가 Ce2.5wt% 이후 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 높은 촉매 활성은 Ce 첨가로 인해 환원특성이 좋아지고 Ni분산도가 증가하여 담체와 강한 상호작용(SMSI)을 형성함으로 탄소침적 저항성 강화에 기인한 것이다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.709-717
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• 2009

Heat transfer rate is a very important factor for the performance of a steam reformer because a steam reforming reaction is an endothermic reaction. Coaxial cylindrical reactor is the reactor design which can improve the heat transfer rate. Temperature, fuel conversion and heat flux in the coaxial cylindrical steam reformer are studied in this paper using numerical method under various operating conditions. Langmuir-Hinshelwood model and pseudo-homogeneous model are incorporated for the catalytic surface reaction. Dominant chemical reactions are assumed as a Steam Reforming (SR) reaction, a Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction, and a Direct Steam Reforming (DSR) reaction. Although coaxial cylindrical steam reformer uses 33% less amount of catalyst than cylindrical steam reformer, its fuel conversion is increased 10 % more and its temperature is also high as about 30 degree. There is no heat transfer limitation near the inlet area at coaxial-type reactor. However, pressure drop of the coaxial cylindrical reactor is 10 times higher than that of cylindrical reactor. Operating parameters of coaxial cylindrical steam reformer are the wall temperature, the inlet temperature, and the Gas Hourly Space Velocity (GHSV). When the wall temperature is high, the temperature and the fuel conversion are increased due to the high heat transfer rate. The fuel conversion rate is increased with the high inlet temperature. However, temperature drop clearly occurs near the inlet area since an endothermic reaction is active due to the high inlet temperature. When GHSV is increased, the fuel conversion is decreased because of the heat transfer limitation and short residence time.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 2001

We developed a compact, 10 kWe, purifier-integrated reformer which supplies hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles. Our proprietary technologies regarding hydrogen purification by palladium alloy membrane and catalytic combustion by noble metal coated wire-mesh catalyst were combined with the conventional methanol steam reforming technology, resulting in higher conversion, excellent quality of product hydrogen, and better thermal efficiency than any other systems. In this system, steam reforming, hydrogen purification, and catalytic combustion take place all in a single reactor so that the whole system is compact and easy to operate. The module produces $8.2Nm^3/hr$ of 99.999% or higher purity hydrogen with CO impurity less than 10 ppm, which is equivalent to 10 kWe when PEMFC has 45 % efficiency. Thermal efficiency of the module is 81 % and the power density of the module is 1.6 L/kWe. As the results of experiments, cold-start time has been measured about 20 minutes. Response time of hydrogen production to the change of the feed rate has been within 1 minutes.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2011

According to the propagation of fuel cell system, the importance of that system efficiency is being magnified. Thus, the efficiency improvement of reformer which is the important factor of fuel cell system will be required. This study has been experimentally performed to evaluated the performance of plate type STR reactor. At first, we changed fuel flow rate (2, 3 and 4 l/min) in burner, and then we measured a proportion of hydrogen in produced gas through the STR reactor by G.C for evaluating the performance of plate type STR reactor in various fuel supply conditions. And we changed S/C ratio (2 and 4) and measured a proportion of hydrogen in produced gas through the STR reactor. As a results, condition at fuel flow rate 2 and 3 l/min could not be supplied amount of heat for STR sufficiently. Condition at fuel flow rate 4 l/min could supplied a heat excessively. And condition at S/C ratio 2, reaction occurred insufficiency. But condition at S/C ratio 4 was excess. From above, we found the optimum conditions that were fuel rate 3.5 l/min and S/C ratio 3.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2012

A 2-dimensional heterogeneous reactor model was developed and simulated for a tube reactor of packed bed where the steam-$CO_2$ combined reforming reaction of natural gas proceeded to produce synthesis gas. Under the reactor feeding rate, 45 $Nm^3$/h, of the reactant gas stream, the 2-dimensional heterogeneous reactor model showed the similar results to those from the ASPEN simulator although there were some discrepancies between the two in the temperature and the $H_2$/CO ratio of the reformed gas at the reactor exit. The calculated enthalpy difference between the reformed gas at the reactor exit and the reactant gas fed to the reactor was closely correspondent to the total amount of heat transferred to the reactor interior from the furnace. This supports that the 2-dimensional heterogeneous reactor model was reasonably established and the numerical solution was properly obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2009

Steam reforming of methane in the high temperature solar chemical reactor bas advantage in its heating method. Using concentrated solar energy as a heating source of the reforming reaction can reduce the $CO_2$ emission by 20% compared to hydrocarbon fuel. In this paper, the simulation result of methane-steam reforming on a high temperature solar chemical reactor(SCR) using Fluent 6.3.26 is presented. The high temperature SCR is designed for the Inha Dish-1, a Dish type solar concentrator installed in Songdo city. Basic SCR performance factors are referred to the former researches of the same laboratory. Inside the SCR porous metal is used for a receiver/reactor. The porous metal is carved like a dome shape on the incident side to increase the heat transfer. Also, ring-disc set of baffle is inserted in the porous metal region to increase the path length. Numerical and physical models are also used from the former researches. Methane and steam is mixed with the same mole fraction and injected into the SCR. The simulation is performed for a various inlet mass flow rate of the methane-steam mixture gas. The result shows that the average reactor temperature and the conversion rate change appreciably by the inlet mass flow rate of 0.0005 kg/s.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2023

Fixed-bed reactor Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of methanol steam reforming reaction was performed using the intrinsic kinetic data of the copper-impregnated hydrotalcite catalyst. The activation energy of the copper hydrotalcite catalyst obtained from the previous study results was 97.4 kJ/mol, and the pre-exponential was 5.904 × 10¹⁰. Process simulation was performed using the calculated values and showed a similar tendency to the experimental results. And the conversion rate according to the change of the reaction temperature (200 - 450 ℃) and the molar ratio of methanol and water was observed using the intrinsic kinetic data. In addition, mass and heat transfer phenomena analysis of a commercial reactor (I.D. 0.05 - 0.1m, Length 1m) was predicted through axial 2D Symmetry simulation using the power law model of the above kinetic constants.