Hydrogen production by a reactor for heavy hydrocarbons

Abstract

The authors develop a small and simple steam-reforming reactor in a home-use size for n-dodecane as a heavy-hydrocarbons fuel. Under such a well-controlled condition by a thermal diffuser as the reactor satisfies two target-temperature criteria, the authors measure the inside-temperature profile and the hydrogen-molecule ratio (concentration) R H2, together with the molecule ratios R CH4, Rco and R CO2 of other main gass components such as CH 4, CO and CO 2, respectively. In addition, the authors conduct theoretical calculations, as well as experiments. As a result, the authors successfully achieve suitable inside-temperature profiles. The effects of the steam-to-carbon molar ratio S/C upon R H2, R CA4, Rco and R CO2 are shown, experimentally and theoretically. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical ones. Besides, both carbon balance and conversion ratio show high accuracy in experiments. © 2011 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.