Effect of Inlet Flow Distributor for Reagent Equalization on Autothermal Reforming of Ethanol in a Microreformer

Two types of flow distributors, that is, a jet-flow-splitter and a simplified constructal distributor, were designed to equalize the gaseous reagents in the inlet of a microreformer packed with catalyst supported on ceramic foam. The effects of type and geometry of distributors on flow, temperature distributions, and reaction performance over the catalyst during the autothermal reforming of ethanol were investigated experimentally and computationally. It was found that the jet flow splitter in the shape of cone or hemisphere can effectively equalize the flow distribution on the lower surface of catalyst, thereby improving the temperature distribution and performance of the microreformer. A microreformer with a hemisphere jet-flow-splitter in optimal geometry can convert 91% of ethanol with a selectivity to hydrogen of 74%, equivalent to yielding 3.3 mol of hydrogen per mol ethanol. Such a distribution device can be used to fabricate an efficient microreformer with simple structure for the hydrogen production orienting the portable fuel cell application.