"Design and Development of a Folded-Sheet Reactor Concept for Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Methanol (English shop)

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The dissertation “Design and Development of a Folded-Sheet Reactor Concept for Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Methanol” by Arístides Morillo investigates the design, development, and optimization of a compact folded-sheet reactor for hydrogen generation through methanol steam reforming. The research focuses on improving heat transfer, reaction efficiency, and process integration for fuel cell applications, particularly in vehicles equipped with Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). The proposed reactor concept combines the endothermic steam reforming of methanol with exothermic catalytic hydrogen combustion in adjacent counter-current flow channels. The study includes experimental investigations of reaction kinetics, numerical reactor modeling, and the construction and evaluation of several prototypes. Initially, a 1-kW folded-sheet reformer is developed and experimentally tested before the concept is scaled up to an integrated 10-kW hydrogen processor. This larger system combines methanol-water evaporation, steam reforming, and the water-gas shift reaction within a single apparatus. Particular attention is given to the effects of operating temperature, catalyst activity, steam-to-methanol ratio, and heat distribution on methanol conversion and carbon monoxide formation. Experimental results demonstrate that the 10-kW prototype achieves methanol conversion rates of approximately 90%, although elevated carbon monoxide concentrations and relatively long cold-start times remain significant challenges. The dissertation provides insights into process intensification, thermal integration, reactor scale-up, and catalytic hydrogen production. It also identifies opportunities for improving reactor compactness, catalyst performance, and operational flexibility in future fuel cell systems.