CFD simulation of ethanol steam reforming over Co3O4-ZnO catalyst in a microchannel reactor for hydrogen production

I. URIZ; G. ARZAMENDI; E. LÓPEZ; J. LLORCA; L.M. GANDÍA

Salamanca, España

Conferencia; EUROPACAT IX; 2009

A series of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations has been conducted with aphysical model consisting of 4 square parallel microchannels of 20 mm of length and 0.70mm of side to study of the influence of the operating variables on the steam reforming ofethanol. It has been assumed that a thin layer of Co and Zn oxides has been uniformlydeposited onto the channels walls. Kinetic equations of the most relevant reactions: ethanoldehydrogenation and decomposition and acetaldehyde steam reforming were incorporatedinto the CFD code. It has been found that whereas high ethanol conversions can be obtained,in order to achieve high hydrogen yields at high space velocities it is essential to maintain thetemperature below 600ºC. To this end, the catalyst load on the channel walls has to besuitably adjusted.