ABSTRACT

1. Centre for Research and Technology Hellas Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute “Catalytic Reforming – Shift Processors for Hydrogen Generation and Continuous Fuel Cell Operation ” Dr. SAVVAS VASILEIADIS ZiVaTech Institute, 15549 Dearborn street, North Hills, CA 91343-3267, USA email: svas10@aol.com Wednesday 3/9/2003 12:30 p.m. Hall “AIOLOS” CERTH ABSTRACT Fuel cells are shown increased promise in clean power generation. Various hydrocarbon feedstocks are well suited for conversion into hydrogen and direct usage in fuel cells. New fuel cell applications of hydrocarbon conversion systems are described and analyzed. These include effective combined reaction and separation processors as single, integrated or consecutive units for simultaneous hydrocarbon conversion and separation with possible usage of recycling streams. The systems are suited for improved hydrogen mixture generation and downstream utilization in fuel cells. The catalytic processors are shown direct applications with steam reforming of methane and water gas shift reaction mixtures. Their improved design is based on reaction, separation and accompanied process engineering principles involving appropriate catalytic and reactor materials. Detailed experiments and modeling have been performed for these reactions and are under continuous development to describe their operation, function and feasibility in detail The processors are producing hydrogen rich fuel mixtures for continuous, reliable fuel cell operation such as in high temperature fuel cells. The proposed processes are of increased significance in the area of new power generation with pollution minimization due to utilization of high efficiency fuel cells in environmentally benign process configurations. As example, simultaneous steam reforming and water gas shift in a first placed reformer will yield a H2, CO2 rich gas which can fuel directly a molten carbonate fuel cell. The process can be modified to accommodate low conversion conditions in the reformer (e.g., a reduced temperature operation which eliminates catalyst deactivation and replacement effects) by adding a next permeator vessel to separate selectively the H2 and CO2 fuel cell stream into an MCFC from the non-permeate CH4 and CO which are recycled back into the main reformer inlet. Other examples include use of dehydrogenators to deliver hydrogen to interconnected fuel cells after the separation of hydrogen from the olefin and paraffin mixtures. A number of detailed design and modeling studies has been performed to quantify the effects of hydrogen generation from dehydrogenation reactions. Objective of the above studies is turnkey process and materials development for the fuel cell industry, with increased hydrocarbon conversion capacity and overall power system efficiency, improved separation factors for fuel cell gas separation, economic and environmental utilization of primary and secondary hydrocarbon feedstocks and their derived byproducts. 6th km Charilaou – Thermi Rd • P.O.Box 361 GR - 570 01 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece Tel: (+302310) 498.112 • Fax: (+302310) 498.130 Web Site: www.cperi.certh.gr • E-mail: cperi@cperi.certh.gr