Compact Single-Stage Fuel Processor for PEM Fuel Cells. Final report

摘要

Based on observations during the steam reforming of ethanol, the authors concludethat carbon was forming in the steam generator due to the thermal decomposition of ethanol. Since ethanol is being thermally decomposed, they were operating the steam generator at too high of a temperature. The thermal degradation of ethanol was confirmed by using a GC with a flame ionization detector. They observed trace amounts of additional hydrocarbons other than methane in the effluent which we assume maybe ethane and ethylene. We identified the operating conditions that allowed us to steam reform ethanol for an acceptable amount of time. These conditions were a steam temperature of 200 C and a wall temperature of 400 C at the center of the reactor. The calculated ratios of CO(sub 2)/CO indicate that we can lower the potential for carbon deposition from the Boudouard further by reducing the pressure.