Silicon-based miniaturized reformer with methanol catalytic burner

Abstract

Silicon fabrication technologies such as a photolithography, a wet chemical etching and an anodic bonding were introduced to form microchannel on silicon wafer. Pt–Al2O3 (5 wt%, Johnson Matthey) was loaded into the micro-channel to perform methanol oxidation reaction that is highly exothermic. The methanol oxidation reaction occurring in the micro-channel was investigated, and the heat of reaction and conversion were evaluated under various pretreatment experimental conditions. The methanol oxidation reaction occurring over layer type catalyst in the micro-channel showed the conversion over 90%, fast start-up and accurate temperature control. After testing the performance of a miniaturized methanol catalytic burner (MCB) separately, it was applied to a reformer as a heat source, and the performance of the reformer was analyzed. The temperature of a reformer-MCB stack consisting of three reformers and two MCBs was successfully controlled only with the MCB without the support of the electric heater. The stack produced 73% hydrogen and 5000 ppm CO with the methanol conversion of 65%.