Workpackage 2: Gas Processing Unit

1
Workpackage 2 Gas Processing Unit
KTI Review Meeting, May 11, 2005
M. Stutz, N. Hotz, Dr. N. Bieri, and Prof. D.
Poulikakos
2
Contributions to WP 2
Butane Reforming
Coating
Coating
NTB
Micromachining
NTB
Heat exchange Feed / Exhaust
Coating
Coating
Micromachining
Post Combustion
Integration and Testing
Inlet conditions
Compatibility with FC
3
WP 2 Year 1 Milestones

• performance 200 mW/cm2 _at_ 550C
• external electrical connections

Fuel Cell

• butane conversion rate gt 90
• post-combustor with gas oxidation gt 98

Gas Processing

• thermal insulation concept with
• Tinside 550C, Toutside 50C, lt10 cm3
• structures for validation critical points
• thermal system demonstrator with
• simulated 2 W heat source

Thermal System
Project Management

• battery expert
• industrial partner

4
Main Achievement after 12 Months

• Optimized butane reforming performance at 600C!

Results _at_ Month 6
Hydrogen Yield
Results _at_ month 12
5
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

6
Our Main Task in this Project

• FC System

• Reformer

• Post Combustor (PC)

7
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

8
WP 2.1 Reformer

• Main Tasks
• Understanding the butane reforming at low
  temperature (600C)?
• Experiments with packed bed reformer
• influence of plugs is significant
• activation/deactivation of catalyst
• Reforming with the disk reactor
• Coating of the disk reactor
• Influence of sealing
• Activation/deactivation of catalyst
• New challenge
• Modified product specification (from 1 W to 2.5 W
  power output)
• Build-up of modified test rig

9
Month 12 Milestones (MS)

• MS _at_ month 12 reformer demonstrator with
  significant butane conversion rate _at_ 600C and
  stable for feeds of 0.02 to 0.5 g/h butane incl.
  gas chromatography (fabrication NTB, testing
  LTNT)
• Optimized experiments packed bed reformer
• Modified design in progress (disk reactor)

?
10
Experimental Results

• Comparison Packed bed reactor
• Empty tube
• Reformer with plugs 'O' (Al2O3/SiO2, old)
• Reformer with plugs 'N' (SiO2, new)
• Thermodynamic equilibrium

11
Reactor Performance

• for T gt 450 C
• high ? for 'plugs N'
• for T lt 450 C
• high ? for 'plugs O'
• ? of empty tube is low
• effect of catalyst

• Butane conversion

POX

• at T 600 C
• ? 69.2 for 'plugs O'
• ? 93.0 for 'plugs N'

TOX
Total Oxidation (TOX) C4H10 6.5 O2?5 H2O 4
CO2 Partial Oxidation (POX) C4H10 2 O2?5 H2
4 CO
12
Reactor Performance

• for T gt 450 C
• high ? for 'plugs N'
• for T lt 450 C
• high ? for 'plugs O'
• ? is higher than equilibrium

• Hydrogen Yield

TOX

• at T 600 C
• ? 45.5 for 'plugs O'
• ? 86.6 for 'plugs N'

POX
TOX C4H10 6.5 O2?5 H2O 4 CO2 POX C4H10
2 O2?5 H2 4 CO
13
Outlet composition

• Reformer with plugs 'N' (SiO2, new)
• Outlet composition

• at T 600 C
• XH2O 4.6
• XH2 23.0
• XCO 13.2
• Enhanced FC performance if XH2O 5

TOX
POX
? Inlet conditions of FC to NMW / EPFL
14
Disk reactor

• Experimental results of Disk reactor
• Coating Rh (sputtered by NTB)
• T 600C, ddisk 8 mm, GSV 25 s-1

Butane Conversion
PBR

• Reason
• Sealing?
• Coating?

DR
Hydrogen Yield

• Alternative
• Filling disk space with catalyst particles
  (packed bed)

PBR
DR
15
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

16
WP 2.2 Post Combustor (PC)

• Purpose of PC Catalytic oxidation of (toxic,
  flammable) exhaust gases
• e.g. C4H10 6.5 O2 ? 4 CO2 5 H2O
• e.g. CO 0.5 O2 ? CO2
• Several studies in literature
• Choice of catalyst and support (Pt Ce0.5Zr0.5O2)
• PC design similar to reformer (constraints stack
  integration)
• Composition of gas at inlet?
• Modified product specification

17
Milestones (MS)

• MS _at_ month 12 first preliminary post-combustor
  demonstrator aiming for significant oxidation
  rate _at_ 600C and stable for feeds of 0.02 to 0.5
  g/h butane (fabrication NTB, testing LTNT)
• Modified product specification (from 1 W to 2.5
  W power output ? Modified test rig)
• Inlet gas composition not known (CO, CH4, C4H10
  conversion in Fuel Cell?)
• Reforming with disk reactor not yet satisfied
• Catalyst particles are active (and already
  produced by LTNT)W. J. Stark, J. D. Grunwaldt,
  M. Maciejewski, S. E. Pratsinis, A. Baiker,
  "Flame-made Pt/ceria/zirconia for low-temperature
  oxygen exchange", Chem. Mater., 17 (13) 3352-3358
  (2005).

? ongoing
18
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

19
WP 2.3 Integration and Testing

• MS _at_ month 12 delivery of first reformer and
  post-combustor designs aiming for compatibility
  with heat exchanger and hot module processing
  (LTNT)
• Final design disk reactor
• Initial specifications dimensions determined
• Altered Specifications Dimensions to be
  determined

?
?
? ongoing
20
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

21
Validation of Milestones and Deliverables

• WP 2.1 Reformer
• Month 12 reformer demonstrator with significant
  butane conversion rate _at_ 600C and stable for
  feeds of 0.02 to 0.5 g/h butane incl. gas
  chromatography (fabrication NTB, testing LTNT)

?

• WP 2.2 Post-combustor
• Month 12 first preliminary post-combustor
  demonstrator aiming for significant oxidation
  rate _at_ 600C and stable for feeds of 0.02 to
  0.5 g/h butane (fabrication NTB, testing LTNT)

? ongoing

• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Month 12 delivery of first reformer and
  post-combustor designs aiming for compatibility
  with heat exchanger and hot module processing
  (LTNT)

?
?

• Previous Milestones and Deliverables all
  fullfilled

22
Summary of Results

• Optimized butane reforming at low temperatures
  (PBR)
• Ongoing butane reforming experiments with DR
• Active catalyst particles for Post-Combustor
• DR design for integration into hot module

23
Overview

• Our Main Task in this Project
• WP 2.1 Reformer
• WP 2.2 Post-Combustor
• WP 2.3 Integration and Testing
• Validation of Milestones
• Next Steps

24
Next steps (Year 2)

• WP 2.1 High performance of disk reactor at T
  600C Butane conversion gt 80, hydrogen
  selectivity gt 60
• (Coating in collaboration with NTB and NMW)
• WP 2.1 Long-term stability tests of reformer at
  T 600C Butane conversion loss lt 10 (after
  10 h steady state)
• WP 2.2 Improved performance of post
  combustor exhaust gas oxidation gt 98 at T
  600C and 0.7 g/h butane feed
• (Inlet conditions for PC from NMW and EPFL)
• WP 2.3 Integration of reformer and PC into hot
  module
• (Constructal constraints from NTB and ZHW)

25
Next steps (Year 3 / Year 4)

• WP 2.1 Optimized performance of disk reactor at
  T 550C Butane conversion gt 90, hydrogen
  selectivity gt 75
• (Inlet gas composition to NMW / EPFL)
• WP 2.1 Start-up stability tests of reformer
  Butane conversion loss lt 10 (after 5 cycles
  from 25C to 600C)
• WP 2.2 Optimized performance of PC at T
  550C CO conc. lt 25 ppm (TLV, ACGIH).
• (Operation parameters from NMW / EPFL, ZHW / NTB)
• WP 2.2 Start-up stability tests of PC CO
  conc. lt 25 ppm (after 5 cycles from 25C to 600C)

26
Questions ?

• Optimized butane reforming performance at 600C!

Results _at_ Month 6
Hydrogen Yield
Results _at_ month 12
27
Validation of Milestones and Deliverables
Deliverables Month 3 reformer design from LTNT
? NTB for evaluation Month 6 final reformer
design from LTNT ? NTB for fabrication
?
?
Deliverables Month 6 designs of post-combustor
from LTNT ? NTB for fabrication
?
Deliverables Month 3 design from LTNT ?
NTB Month 6 NTB samples ? LTNT (P. Müller checks
whether possible in month 6)
?
?