Catalytic steam reforming of methanol

Catalytic steam reforming of methanol is a well-established route for the production of H2 for fuel cells ... 

Synthesis Gas Chemicals. Hydrocarbons are used to generate synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, for conversion to other chemicals. The primary chemical made from synthesis gas is methanol, though acetic acid and acetic anhydride are also made by this route. Carbon monoxide (qv) is produced by partial oxidation of hydrocarbons or by the catalytic steam reforming of natural gas. About 96% of synthesis gas is made by steam reforming, followed by the water gas shift reaction to give the desired H2 /CO ratio. 

SCR Selective catalytic reduction SRM Steam reforming of methanol UV Ultraviolet... 

Velu S, Suzuki K. Selective production of hydrogen for fuel cells via oxidative steam reforming of methanol over CuZnAl oxide catalysts effect of substitution of zirconium and cerium on the catalytic performance. Top Catal. 2003 22(3-4) 235-44. 

Turco M, et al. Production of hydrogen from oxidative steam reforming of methanol - II. Catalytic activity and reaction mechanism on Cu/ZnO/Al2C>3 hydrotalcite-derived catalysts. J Catal. 2004 228(l) 56-65. 

Catalysts based on copper/zinc mixed oxides are of great importance for industrial scale catalytic processes like low pressure methanol formation from synthesis gas and steam reforming of methanol yielding H2 and CO2. The commercially available catalyst for both reactions is the ternary system Cu-Zn0/Al20s [5], In consequence of its success, the Cu-ZnO system has prompted a great deal of fundamental work devoted to clarify either the role played by each component and the nature of the active site. 

C. Fukuhara, H. Ohkura, Y. Kamata, Y. Murakami, A. Igarashi, Catalytic properties of plate-type copper-based catalysts, for steam reforming of methanol, on an aluminum plate prepared by electroless plating, Appl. Catal. A-Gen. 273 (2004) 125. 

Hydrogen is an important feedstock for many essential chemical and petroleum industries such as ammonia, methanol, hydrocracking, hydrogenation of edible oil, hydrodesulphurization, reduction of iron ores and fuel cells. The catalytic steam reforming of natural gas is the most economical process for the production of hydrogen and syngas. Steam reforming of natural gas (mainly methane) is a complex... 

A large variety of catalysts for the steam reforming of methanol which include copper in their composition have been reported. " Commercial Cu/ZnO water-gas shift and methanol synthesis catalysts - have also been found to be active for the steam reforming reaction. Microstructural characteristics of the copper phase in Cu/ZnO catalysts depended on the aging time of the precipitate, resulting in changes in reducibility and crystallite size which produced an increase in the catalytic activity. Moreover,... 

Laosiripojana, N., Assahumrungrat, S. (2007). Catalytic steam reforming of methane, methanol, and ethanol over Ni/YSZ the possible use of these fuels in internal reforming SOFC. Journal of Power Sources, 163, 943—951. 

M.S. (1995) Newtedmology for hydrogen production by the catalytic oxidation and steam reforming of methanol at low temperatures. Chem. Eng. Techrml.,... 

SRM based on MSRs has acquired an increasing interest due to system compactness with portable apphcations for fuel cells, which could be apphed on auxiliary power imits (APUs). Moreover, catalytic autothermal reforming of methanol has also been considered since it offers some advantages over endothermic steam reforming and exothermic partial oxidation [67]. 

The catalytic steam-reforming process of methanol on Cu/ZnO/Ab03 catalyst primarily produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide. In addition, the minor quantities of carbon monoxide are also produced. This mechanism is explained in terms of parallel reactions [11]. 

Several other important commercial processes need to be mentioned. They are (not necessarily in the order of importance) the low pressure methanol process, using a copper-containing catalyst which was introduced in 1972 the production of acetic add from methanol over RhI catalysts, which has cornered the market the methanol-to-gasoline processes (MTG) over ZSM-5 zeolite, which opened a new route to gasoline from syngas and ammoxidation of propene over mixed-oxide catalysts. In 1962, catalytic steam reforming for the production of synthesis gas and/or hydrogen over nickel potassium alumina catalysts was commercialized. 

Methanol is unquestionably the easiest of the potential fuels to convert to hydrogen for vehicle use. Methanol disassociates to carbon monoxide and hydrogen at temperatures below 400°C and can be catalytically steam reformed at 250°C or less. This provides a quick start advantage. Methanol can be converted to hydrogen with efficiencies of >90 %. But methanol is produced primarily from natural gas requiring energy and it is less attractive than gasoline on a well-to-wheels efficiency (2). 

Case 4 Thermal recuperation as in Case 3 with the addition of catalytic reforming of methanol/steam mixture to give C02 + 3H2 at 800F as the fuel. 

---