Transport in packed-bed and wall-coated steam-methanol reformers

Methanol-steam reforming can be utilized as a fuel processing system for hydrogen fuel cells. A study of the reacting flow in packed-bed and wall-coated catalytic reactors is presented. The wall-coated reformer has a smaller power requirement for delivering fuel than the packed catalytic bed reformer. Also, the coated catalytic layer has a smaller thermal resistance compared to the packed catalytic bed. This yields enhanced thermal field management for the wall-coated reformer that is essential for reformer performance. Understanding the transport in reformers is essential for improving both the efficiency of the reforming process and the quality of the processed fuel.