Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
Volume 41, Issue 28, Pages 11914-11924Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.02.086
Keywords
Hydrogen; Fuel reforming; Solar energy; Solar thermal collector; Fuel cell systems
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Funding
- California Energy Commission (PIER, Energy Innovation Small Grant) [56941A/10-09]
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award)
- North Carolina Space Grant (New Investigators Program)
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The present study demonstrates the possibility of generating hydrogen by methanol steam reforming at temperatures of 235-260 degrees C inside a non-concentrating solar collector, ideally for stationary fuel cell systems. In contrast to the current state-of-the-art, the solar collector provides all heat required for heating and evaporation of the reactants, endothermic reaction, and compensation of heat losses, without any external heat supply (such as from combustion of fuel or electric heating) and without the need for concentration of sunlight (as in conventional parabolic trough systems). Without the need for solar concentration, the system is simpler and more compact than conventional systems, and it can utilize all direct and indirect incident sunlight. The solar collector-reactor achieves hydrogen generation up to 6.62 L-STP min(-1) per m(2) collector area (equivalent to 1088 W m(-2) LHV) under 1 sun, with solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies up to 78% and total energetic efficiencies (considering solar and fuel input) up to 43%. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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