• Journal of Institute of Convergence Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2022

Interest in hydrogen production to respond to climate change is increasing. Until now, hydrogen has been mainly produced through the SMR (Steam Methane Reforming) process using natural gas. A large amount of CO₂ is emitted in the hydrogen production process through SMR, and the gas flow including CO₂ generated in the SMR process has different characteristics for each emission source, so it is important to apply a suitable CO₂ capture process. In the case of PSA tail gas or synthesis gas, the applicability of an amine-based process has been confirmed or demonstrated close to a commercial level. However, in the case of the flue gas generated from the reformer, it is still difficult to apply the conventional amine-based process because the partial pressure of CO₂ is relatively low. Energy-saving innovative absorbents such as phase separation absorbents can be a solution to these difficulties.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.126-134
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• 2024

Biogas, composed mainly of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), is a renewable gas that can serve as an alternative energy source. In this study, we developed a new microwave reformer and analyzed its reforming characteristics. We observed that higher temperatures of the microwave receptor led to increased reforming efficiency. By supplying appropriate amounts of methane and steam, we could prevent carbon generated from the thermal decomposition reaction of carbon dioxide from depositing on the catalytic active layer, thus avoiding the inhibition of catalytic activity. Hydrogen generation was enhanced when maintaining the biogas ratio and steam supply at adequate levels. Increasing the SiC ratio in the receptor improved the uniformity of temperature distribution and growth rate, resulting in higher conversion rates of the reforming process.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2011

The use of a separator to control stack temperature in a molten carbonate fuel cell was studied by numerical simulation using a computational fluid dynamics code. The stack model assumed steady-state and constant-load operation of a co-flow stack with an external reformer at atmospheric pressure. Representing a conventional cell type, separators with two flow paths, one each for the anode and cathode gas, were simulated under conditions in which the cathode gas was composed of either air and carbon dioxide (case I) or oxygen and carbon dioxide (case II). The results showed that the average cell potential in case II was higher than that in case I due to the higher partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the cathode gas. This result indicates that the amount of heat released during the electrochemical reactions was less for case II than for case I under the same load. However, simulated results showed that the maximum stack temperature in case I was lower than that in case II due to a reduction in the total flow rate of the cathode gas. To control the stack temperature and retain a high cell potential, we proposed the use of a separator with three flow paths (case III); two flow paths for the electrodes and a path in the center of the separator for the flow of nitrogen for cooling. The simulated results for case III showed that the average cell potential was similar to that in case II, indicating that the amount of heat released in the stack was similar to that in case II, and that the maximum stack temperature was the lowest of the three cases due to the nitrogen gas flow in the center of the separator. In summary, the simulated results showed that the use of a separator with three flow paths enabled temperature control in a co-flow stack with an external reformer at atmospheric pressure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.840-846
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• 2012

Global climate changes caused by $CO_2$ emissions are currently debated around the world; green sources of energy are being sought as alternatives to replace fossil fuels. The sustainable use of biogas for energy production does not contribute to $CO_2$ emission and has therefore a high potential to reduce them. Catalytic steam reforming of a model biogas ($CH_4:CO_2$ = 60%:40%) is investigated to produce $H_2$-rich synthesis gas. The biogas utilized 3D-IR matrix burner in which the surface combustion is applied. The ruthenium catalyst was used inside a reformer. Parametric screening studies were achieved as Steam/Carbon ratio, biogas component ratio, Space velocity and Reformer temperature. When the condition of Steam/Carbon ratio, $CH_4/CO_2$ ratio, Space velocity and Refomer temperature were 3.25, 60% : 40%, $14.7L/g{\cdot}hr$ and $550^{\circ}C$ respectively, the hydrogen concentration and methane conversion rate were showed maximum values. Under the condition mentioned above, $H_2$ yield, $H_2$/CO ratio, CO selectivity and energy efficiency were 0.65, 2.14, 0.59, 51.29%.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2016

This is a numerical study on the curved channel type of hydrogen reformer using the commercial code of fluid dynamics. We numerically compared the numerical model in a previous study model and the modelling of a tube type curved channel. In the result of numerical analysis on 4 types of curved channel reformers, the methanol conversion efficiency of type 1~4 were 45.0%, 45.3%, 45.6%, 45.6% respectively, and there was hardly any difference by ${\pm}0.6%$. In light of flow characteristics, the rectangle type tube and the type 2 with $45^{\circ}$ turn showed most uniform flow characteristics and concentration distribution of methanol, and the circular type tube and the type 3 with $90^{\circ}$ turn had most un-uniform flow characteristics and concentration distribution of methanol. We concluded that the design for curved channel reformer has to have rectangle type tube with curve of almost $45^{\circ}$ as in the type of curved pipe with $45^{\circ}$ turn.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.30-36
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• 2021

Residual life assessment of reformer tubes of mod HP steel used in the refinery and petrochemical industry were investigated by quantitative metallographic evaluation method. Area fractions of precipitated carbides were measured by using surface replication and its relationship with the remaining life of the tube was investigated. The microstructures of the virgin and other tubes were examined using optical microscopy (OM) for service periods of 1.8, 6.0, 7.2, 8.5, 9.7, and 16.2 years at 950 ℃ and the area fractions of the precipitates were measured by image analysis using ImageJ software. As the area fraction of the precipitates increased, the residual life was decreased accordingly. The results showed that the LMP was the highest in the virgin and the LMP decreased as the service time increased and the residual life decreased. A regressional equation showing the relation between the area fraction of carbides and LMP was experimentally derived. The obtained relationship can be used with the surface replication method for on-site residual life assessment.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07d
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• pp.1876-1878
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• 1999

Developed was a 5kW-class polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) system comprised of fuel cell stack, fuel processing, thermal and water management subsystems and ancillary equipments. Several large single cells have been fabricated with different gas flow field patterns and paths, and the gas flow field pattern for the stack has been determined based on the single cell performance of thin film membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The PEMFC stack was consisted of 100 cells with an electrode area of $300cm^2$, having serpentine flow pattern. Fuel processing was developed including an autothermal methanol reformer and two preferential CO oxidation reactors. The fuel processing was combined to PEMFC operation system consisted of air compressor and thermal and water management subsystems. The PEMFC stack showed performance of 5kW under the supply of $H_2$ and air, but its performance was lowered to 3.5kW under the supply of reformed gas.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.2026-2031
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• 2007

Hydrogen is receiving much research attention as an alternative substitute for hydrocarbon fuels these days due to its cleanliness and renewability. However, hydrogen should be used with caution because of its high propensity for leak and wide flammable range. This study deals with a situation that hydrogen leaks and then forms a flammable mixture inside 1kW class residential fuel cell. The residential fuel cell was modeled as a box-shaped chamber with vent openings at the top and bottom, filled with various components such as reformer, desulfurizer, fuel cell stack and humidifier. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the diffusion, buoyant flow and accumulation of leaked hydrogen in the modeled chamber. From the simulation, the risk region vulnerable to flame was identified and the methods to minimize such hazardous region was discussed. When the vent openings are 1% of the total surface, as the quantity of hydrogen leakage increases the risk regions increases accordingly. As the vent openings of the total surface increased from 1% to 2.3%, averaged hydrogen mole fraction is under 1% in the system.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.75.1-75.1
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• 2010

This research presents a fuel cell simulator for control logic verification and operator training. Nowadays, power industries are focusing on clean energy as a response to new policy. The fuel cell can be the solution for clean energy, but operating technology is not well developed compared to other conventional power plans because of its short history. Therefore we need a simulator to verify the new control strategy and train operators, because the price of a real fuel cell system is too high and mechanically weak to be used for these kind of purposes. To develop the simulator, a 300 KW MCFC(Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell) system was modeled with stack, BOPs(pre-reformer, steam generator, etc) and mechanical components(valves, pipes, pumps, blowers, etc). The process model was integrated to emulated control system and HMI(Human Machine Interface). A static load and open loop tests were conducted for verifying the accuracy of the process model, since it is the most important part in the simulation. After verifying the process model, an automatic load change and start-up tests were conducted to verify the performance of a new control strategy(logic and functional loops).

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.78.1-78.1
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• 2010

The metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was studied. Hydrocarbon fueled operation is necessary to make SOFC system. Different operating characteristics for metal-supported SOFC are used than for conventional ones as hydrocarbon fueled operation. Metal-supported SOFC was successfully fabricated by a high temperature sinter-joining method and the cathode was in-situ sintered. Synthetic gas, which is compounded as the diesel reformate gas composition and low hydrocarbons was completely removed by the diesel reformer. Metal-supported SOFC with synthetic gas was operated and evaluated and its characteristics analyzed. Button cell and $5{\times}5cm^2$ single stack were mainly operated and analyzed. Long-term operation using diesel reformate shows degradation, and degradation analysis was completed in the view of metal oxidation. Solution to increase stability of long-term operation was tried in the way of materials and operating conditions. Finally, $5{\times}5cm^2$ metal-supported single stack using synthetic gas was operated for 1000 hours under the modified condition.