Kinetic study of ethanol reforming in a microreactor Original Research Article

We have demonstrated the successful application of a microchannel reactor to produce hydrogen by ethanol reforming. Microchannels coated with Rh/CeO2 catalyst were used at residence times of 9–42 ms. Reaction temperatures were 350–660 °C, and the steam to carbon ratio was varied between 2 and 4. Even with a low steam to carbon ratio of 2 it was possible to ensure low methane by-product concentrations below 1% by lowering the residence time in the microreactor to 9 ms. For temperatures above 625 °C, a H2 space time yield of 400 mmol g min−1 was reached, four times more than the highest values reported in the literature. Negligible coke formation was found in the metallic microreactor even at low steam to carbon ratios of 2. This can be attributed to superior heat supply compared to conventional reactors and the low acidity of the applied catalyst.