Producing Hydrogen by Catalytic Steam Reforming of Methanol Using Non-noble Metal Catalysts

Current energy systems have a significant environmental impact and contribute to the climate change. The future energy systems must call upon clean and renewable sources, capable of producing energy with low CO emission, hence partly decarbonizing the energy sector. Producing H by catalytic steam reforming of methanol (CSRM) is gaining interest for its specific applications in fuel cells, in a decentralized H production, or to locally boost the heat content of e.g. natural gas. Supported metal catalysts enhance the endothermic steam-driven methanol conversion. The paper discusses the CSRM manufactures and assesses 2 novel, cheap and efficient catalysts (Co/α-AlO and MnFeO). The performance of the Co/α-AlO catalyst is significantly superior to MnFeO. The methanol conversion exceeds 95% with high H yields (>2.5 mol H/mol CHOH) and low CO and CO by-product formation. The methanol reaction is very fast and a nearly constant product distribution is achieved for gas-catalyst contact times in excess of 0.3 s. The catalyst maintains its efficiency and selectivity for several days of reaction. The hydrogen productivity of the Co/α-AlO is about 0.9 L H g h., nearly a fourfold of the MnFeO alternative. The different occurring reactions are combined in a kinetics analysis and demonstrate the high rate of reaction and the predicted product distribution. A catalytic sintered metal fleece reactor is finally developed, mostly in view of its integration with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The assessed CSRM system clearly merits further pilot plant research.