Steam conversion of carbon monoxide in an annular microchannel

To create an efficient microchannel reactor for hydrogen production, steam reforming of carbon monoxide in a slotted annular channel was experimentally studied. The microchannel reactor is formed by a submillimeter gap between two cylinders, with a catalyst applied to the outer side of the inner cylinder. Platinum applied to cerium oxide was used as a catalyst. The thermal characteristics of the shift reaction with the formation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen were experimentally studied. Experiments were carried out at a steam-to-carbon monoxide ratio of 3:1 at different mixture flow rates. It was shown that a fourfold increase in the mixture flow rate leads to a significant increase in the temperature difference between the reactor inlet and outlet, caused by the heat release of the reaction (from Δ T ≈ 20 °C at a contact time of 189 ms to 80 °C at a contact time of 46 ms). According to analysis of the composition of the outgoing gas, with an increase in the mixture flow rate, the degree of carbon monoxide conversion decreases significantly.