Circular Catalytic Hydrogen/Methanol Plate Burner with Stackable Clover Channels Supporting Rapid Start-Up and Stable Operation for Highly Efficient Reformer System

This study proposes a platinum catalytic plate burner with a clover-shaped microchannel design to reduce the maximum temperature difference (ΔTmax) and improve long-term hydrogen production (HP) performance in an autothermal methanol steam reforming (ATMSR) microreactor. The burner integrates with a plate reformer within a cylindrical adiabatic container. By optimizing catalyst arrangement and incorporating a parallel clover-type microchannel design, thermal gradients inside the burner are minimized, enabling better operation conditions for the plate reformer. Three Pt catalyst gradients (50/50, 40/60, and 30/70) reduce ΔTmax from 48.2 °C and 38.3 °C to 25.8 °C. Additionally, the startup time to 250 °C is reduced from 35, 25, and 14 min, respectively. The integration of the plate burner and reformer with the 30/70 catalyst type shows a higher methanol conversion rate (98%), better hydrogen yield, and lower CO selectivity compared to the 50/50 type. Long-term testing for 30 h shows a low catalyst degradation rate, making it suitable for sustained operation.