Steam reforming of methanol over a CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst part II: A carbon membrane reactor

The reaction of methanol steam reforming was studied in a carbon membrane reactor over a commercial CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst (Sud-Chemie, G66 MR). Carbon molecular sieve membranes supplied by Carbon Membranes Ltd. were tested at 150 degrees C and 200 degrees C. The carbon membrane reactor was operated at atmospheric pressure and with vacuum at the permeate side, at 200 degrees C. High methanol conversion and hydrogen recovery were obtained with low carbon monoxide permeate concentrations. A sweep gas configuration was simulated with a one-dimensional model. The experimental mixed-gas permeance values at 200 degrees C were used in a mathematical model that showed a good agreement with the experimental data. The advantages of using water as sweep gas were investigated in what concerns methanol conversion and hydrogen recovery. The concentration of carbon monoxide at the permeate side was under 20 ppm in all simulation runs. These results indicate that the permeate stream can be used to feed a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.