Effects of reaction chamber geometry on the performance and heat/mass transport phenomenon for a cylindrical methanol steam reformer

This study utilizes the SIMPLE-C algorithm and Arrhenius form of reaction model to simulate the three-dimensional laminar flow field and the reaction in a cylindrical methanol reformer under steam reforming. Then the effect of geometrical and thermo-fluid parameters on the heat and mass transfer, the methanol conversion as well as the performance of hydrogen production in a cylindrical methanol reformer with a specified volume of catalyst bed will be investigated in the present study. The results indicate that the smaller diameter-to-length ratio (D/L) of reformer with a larger catalyst bed thickness (L-CB) enhances the methanol conversion and hydrogen production, in which, the best methanol conversion efficiency of 85.49% and hydrogen concentration of 48% (in wet base) were obtained at L-CB = 15 mm (D/L = 0.08), porosity epsilon = 0.3, and wall temperature equal to 300 degrees C. Furthermore, the increase of the inlet fuel temperature improves the hydrogen production. That is, when the inlet temperature is 140 degrees C, high hydrogen concentration of 55% (in wet base) of was achieved. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.