Combined pre-reformer/reformer system utilizing monolith catalysts for hydrogen production

Abstract

The pre-reforming of higher hydrocarbon, propane, was performed to generate hydrogen from LPG without carbon deposition on the catalysts. A Ru/Ni/MgAl(2)O(4) metallic monolith catalyst was employed to minimize the pressure drop over the catalyst bed. The propane pre-reforming reaction conditions for the complete conversion of propane with no carbon formation were identified to be the following: space velocities over 2400 h(-1) and temperatures between 400 and 450 degrees C with a H(2)O/C(1) ratio of 3. The combined pre-reformer and the main reformer system with the Ru/Ni/MgAl(2)O(4) metallic monolith catalyst was employed to test the conversion propane to syngas where the reaction heat was provided by catalytic combustors. Propane was converted in the pre-reformer to 52.5% H(2), 27.0% CH(4), 17.5% CO, and 3.0% CO(2) with a 331 degrees C inlet temperature and a 482 degrees C catalyst outlet temperature. The main steam reforming reactor converted the methane from the pre-reformer with a conversion of higher than 99.0% with a 366 degrees C inlet temperature and an 824 degrees C catalyst outlet temperature. With a total of 912 cc of the Ru/Ni/MgAl(2)O(4) metallic monolith catalyst in the main reformer, the H(2) production from the propane reached an average of 3.25 Nm(3)h(-1) when the propane was fed at 0.4 Nm(3)h(-1). Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.