(92e) Modeling of An Autothermal Catalytic Monolith Reformer to Obtain Hydrogen for Fuel Cells

Autothermal reforming (ATR), that is the combination of partial oxidation and steam reforming, is the preferred method for transportation applications because it is a self-sustained process and as a result, increases the energy conversion efficiency and correspondingly reduces environmental impact. The main scope of this work is to simulate the performance of an autothermal catalytic monolith reformer for the production of hydrogen, which is intended to be used in a fuel cell. A three dimensional numerical model was developed based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In the model of monolithic reformer, a single channel was used assuming that each channel behaved the same. The catalysts were deposited on channel walls of the monolith and assumed that the chemical reactions only happened on the catalytic wall surface. The mass transport, chemical reactions and heat transfer can be analyzed simultaneously in the single channel with the aid of CFD simulation. The correctness of the model was verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental data available in literatures.