IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v206y2017icp312-328.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effect of a diffuser on performance enhancement of a cylindrical methanol steam reformer by computational fluid dynamic analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Perng, Shiang-Wuu
  • Horng, Rong-Fang
  • Wu, Horng-Wen

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) connected with a methanol steam reformer designed to enhance its performance is considered asa promising future power source. Enhancing the performance of a cylindrical methanol steam reformer due to diffuser effects was then investigated applying three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics by the SIMPLE-C algorithm and an Arrhenius form of reaction model. The effect of the angle and length of the diffuser, and wall temperature have been explored on heat and fluid flow, methanol conversion, hydrogen production, carbon monoxide reduction, as well as estimated net power of fuel cell with the same catalyst volume and entrance condition in a cylindrical methanol steam reformer. The results indicate that the diffuser obviously enhances methanol conversion and hydrogen production of a cylindrical methanol steam reformer. In comparison with a traditional reformer, the reformer with a diffuser of θd=6° and Ld=75mm obtains the maximum enhancement of 22.96% in methanol conversion, 44.62% in hydrogen production, and 24.59% in estimated net power of fuel cell at wall temperature of 250°C. In addition, the novel reformer with a diffuser of θd=9° and Ld=100mm generates the maximum reduction of 44.17% in CO production at TW=250°C.

Suggested Citation

  • Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Horng, Rong-Fang & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2017. "Effect of a diffuser on performance enhancement of a cylindrical methanol steam reformer by computational fluid dynamic analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 312-328.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:206:y:2017:i:c:p:312-328
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.08.194
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261917312205
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.08.194?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
    2. Chein, Reiyu & Chen, Yen-Cho & Chung, J.N., 2013. "Numerical study of methanol–steam reforming and methanol–air catalytic combustion in annulus reactors for hydrogen production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 1022-1034.
    3. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2010. "Effect of the prominent catalyst layer surface on reactant gas transport and cell performance at the cathodic side of a PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 1386-1399, April.
    4. Ercolino, Giuliana & Ashraf, Muhammad A. & Specchia, Vito & Specchia, Stefania, 2015. "Performance evaluation and comparison of fuel processors integrated with PEM fuel cell based on steam or autothermal reforming and on CO preferential oxidation or selective methanation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 138-153.
    5. Chein, Rei-Yu & Chen, Yen-Cho & Chang, Che-Ming & Chung, J.N., 2013. "Experimental study on the performance of hydrogen production from miniature methanol–steam reformer integrated with Swiss-roll type combustor for PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 86-98.
    6. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2015. "A three-dimensional numerical investigation of trapezoid baffles effect on non-isothermal reactant transport and cell net power in a PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 81-95.
    7. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2011. "Non-isothermal transport phenomenon and cell performance of a cathodic PEM fuel cell with a baffle plate in a tapered channel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 52-67, January.
    8. Hsueh, Ching-Yi & Chu, Hsin-Sen & Yan, Wei-Mon & Chen, Chiun-Hsun, 2010. "Transport phenomena and performance of a plate methanol steam micro-reformer with serpentine flow field design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(10), pages 3137-3147, October.
    9. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Horng, Rong-Fang & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2013. "Effects of reaction chamber geometry on the performance and heat/mass transport phenomenon for a cylindrical methanol steam reformer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 317-327.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ma, Zhao & Yang, Wei-Wei & Li, Ming-Jia & He, Ya-Ling, 2018. "High efficient solar parabolic trough receiver reactors combined with phase change material for thermochemical reactions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 769-783.
    2. Ngo, Son Ich & Lim, Young-Il & Kim, Woohyun & Seo, Dong Joo & Yoon, Wang Lai, 2019. "Computational fluid dynamics and experimental validation of a compact steam methane reformer for hydrogen production from natural gas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 340-353.
    3. Gu, Rong & Ding, Jing & Wang, Yarong & Yuan, Qinquan & Wang, Weilong & Lu, Jianfeng, 2019. "Heat transfer and storage performance of steam methane reforming in tubular reactor with focused solar simulator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 789-801.
    4. Li, Na & Cui, Xiaoti & Zhu, Jimin & Zhou, Mengfan & Liso, Vincenzo & Cinti, Giovanni & Sahlin, Simon Lennart & Araya, Samuel Simon, 2023. "A review of reformed methanol-high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    5. Liu, Yangxu & Zhou, Wei & Lin, Yu & Chen, Lu & Chu, Xuyang & Zheng, Tianqing & Wan, Shaolong & Lin, Jingdong, 2019. "Novel copper foam with ordered hole arrays as catalyst support for methanol steam reforming microreactor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C), pages 24-37.
    6. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2022. "Influence of inlet-nozzle and outlet-diffuser mounted in the plate-shape reactor on PEMFC net power output and methanol steam reforming performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2022. "Influence of inlet-nozzle and outlet-diffuser mounted in the plate-shape reactor on PEMFC net power output and methanol steam reforming performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    2. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Horng, Rong-Fang & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2013. "Effects of reaction chamber geometry on the performance and heat/mass transport phenomenon for a cylindrical methanol steam reformer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 317-327.
    3. Kim, Taegyu & Jo, Sungkwon & Song, Young-Hoon & Lee, Dae Hoon, 2014. "Synergetic mechanism of methanol–steam reforming reaction in a catalytic reactor with electric discharges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1692-1699.
    4. Wang, Qianqian & Tang, Fumin & Li, Bing & Dai, Haifeng & Zheng, Jim P. & Zhang, Cunman & Ming, Pingwen, 2022. "Investigation of the thermal responses under gas channel and land inside proton exchange membrane fuel cell with assembly pressure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    5. Chiu, Han-Chieh & Jang, Jer-Huan & Yan, Wei-Mon & Li, Hung-Yi & Liao, Chih-Cheng, 2012. "A three-dimensional modeling of transport phenomena of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with various flow fields," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 359-370.
    6. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Chien, Tsai-Chieh & Horng, Rong-Fang & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2019. "Performance enhancement of a plate methanol steam reformer by ribs installed in the reformer channel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 588-601.
    7. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
    8. Mohammed Abbas, Akhtar Hasnain & Cheralathan, Kanakkampalayam Krishnan & Porpatham, Ekambaram & Arumugam, Senthil Kumar, 2024. "Hydrogen generation using methanol steam reforming – catalysts, reactors, and thermo-chemical recuperation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Wu, Horng-Wen & Shih, Gin-Jang & Chen, Yi-Bin, 2018. "Effect of operational parameters on transport and performance of a PEM fuel cell with the best protrusive gas diffusion layer arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 47-58.
    10. Wu, Horng-Wen & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2011. "The optimal parameters estimation for rectangular cylinders installed transversely in the flow channel of PEMFC from a three-dimensional PEMFC model and the Taguchi method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4879-4890.
    11. Xiong, Kangning & Wu, Wei & Wang, Shuangfeng & Zhang, Lin, 2021. "Modeling, design, materials and fabrication of bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cell: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    12. Baricci, Andrea & Mereu, Riccardo & Messaggi, Mirko & Zago, Matteo & Inzoli, Fabio & Casalegno, Andrea, 2017. "Application of computational fluid dynamics to the analysis of geometrical features in PEM fuel cells flow fields with the aid of impedance spectroscopy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 670-682.
    13. Hwang, Jenn-Jiang & Dlamini, Mangaliso Menzi & Weng, Fang-Bor & Chang, Tseng & Lin, Chih-Hong & Weng, Shih-Cheng, 2022. "Simulation of fine mesh implementation on the cathode for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    14. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Chen, Chia-Yang, 2020. "Water gas shift reaction for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide capture: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    15. Vasile, Nicolò S. & Doherty, Ronan & Monteverde Videla, Alessandro H.A. & Specchia, Stefania, 2016. "3D multi-physics modeling of a gas diffusion electrode for oxygen reduction reaction for electrochemical energy conversion in PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 435-450.
    16. Zhang, Xian-Wen & Wang, Xue-Jian & Cheng, Xiao-Zhang & Jin, Lei & Zhu, Jian-Wei & Zhou, Tao-Tao, 2020. "Numerical analysis of global and local performance variations of proton exchange membrane fuel cell with different bend layouts and flow directions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    17. Fan Yang & Xiaoming Xu & Yuehua Li & Dongfang Chen & Song Hu & Ziwen He & Yi Du, 2023. "A Review on Mass Transfer in Multiscale Porous Media in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Mechanism, Modeling, and Parameter Identification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-24, April.
    18. Zhang, Heng & Xiao, Liusheng & Chuang, Po-Ya Abel & Djilali, Ned & Sui, Pang-Chieh, 2019. "Coupled stress–strain and transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cell with metallic bipolar plates," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    19. Li, Wenkai & Zhang, Qinglei & Wang, Chao & Yan, Xiaohui & Shen, Shuiyun & Xia, Guofeng & Zhu, Fengjuan & Zhang, Junliang, 2017. "Experimental and numerical analysis of a three-dimensional flow field for PEMFCs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 278-288.
    20. Qiao, Jia Nan & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & Chen, Hao, 2024. "A nonlinear contraction channel design inspired by typical mathematical curves: Boosting net power and water discharge of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:206:y:2017:i:c:p:312-328. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.