Minimization of hot spot in a microchannel reactor for steam reforming of methane with the stripe combustion catalyst layer

Seung Won Jeon, Won Jae Yoon, Changhyun Baek, Yongchan Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hot spot formation is inevitable in a heat exchanger microchannel reactor used for steam reforming of methane because of the local imbalance between the generated and absorbed heat. A stripe configuration of the combustion catalyst layer was suggested to make the catalytic combustion rate uniform in order to minimize the hot spot near the inlet. The stripe configuration was optimized by response surface methodology with computational fluid dynamics. With the optimal catalyst layer, the hot spot was not observed near the inlet and the maximum temperature decreased by 130 K from that of the uniform catalyst layer without any conversion loss. The maximum relative particle diameters of the uniform and the optimal stripe catalyst layer were about 3.68 and 2.51, respectively, and the surface-averaged particle diameter of the optimal stripe catalyst layer was 7.64% less than that of the uniform stripe catalyst layer.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)13982-13990
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume38
Issue number32
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013 Oct 25

Keywords

  • Catalytic surface area
  • Heat exchanger reactor
  • Hot spot
  • Microchannel
  • Response surface methodology
  • Steam reforming of methane

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Minimization of hot spot in a microchannel reactor for steam reforming of methane with the stripe combustion catalyst layer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this