Numerical Simulation for a planar type of micro methanol reformer

In this study, a three-dimensional physical model design for a planar type of micro methanol reformer has been investigated numerically. The physical model including the flow, mass transport and chemical reaction simulated by commercial software FLUENT. This study discuss the temperature, the steam to carbon ration and the height of micro-channel to observe the methanol conversion, the generation rate of hydrogen and the mole fraction of species at outlet. The temperature range is 220-300OC. The chemical reaction are the methanol steam-reforming（SR）reaction and the reverse water gas-shift（rWGS）reaction. The results show that the methanol conversion and the generation rate of hydrogen increase as the reaction temperature increase from 220 to 300OC. The height of channel show little effect on methanol conversion at a fixed feed rate of liquid feed. However, the variation of the velocity of liquid, the height of channel increases with increasing methanol conversion and the generation of hydrogen. At the same time, the volume of catalyst and channel play an important pole. In the same velocity of liquid, the volume of catalyst and channel ratio reduced, whereas theiieight of channel is higher. Besides, the steam to carbon ratio demonstrates slight influence on methanol conversion and the mole fraction of species at outlet. Increasing the steam to carbon ratio represents the ratio of methanol in fuel decreases; the generation of hydrogen also diminishes.