• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

The main objective of this paper is to investigate characteristic of steam reformer at various geometries and operating conditions. In this paper, the steam reforming is studied by a numerical method and three dimensional simulations were used for effective analytical study. User - Defined Function (UDF) was used to simultaneously calculate reforming and combustion reaction. And the numerical model is validated with experimental results at the same operating conditions. In order to understand the relationship between operating conditions such as gas hourly space velocity(GHSV), mass flow rate of combustor inlet, various numerical investigations are carries out for various geometries. Numerical results show that cylindrical geometry is more effective than rectangular geometry for heat transfer to reactors and reforming efficiency. As mass flow rate of combustor inlet increase, reaction occurs more faster and temperature increase with each geometry. On the other hand, reaction and hydrogen conversion decrease as mass flow rate of reactor decreases.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.639-643
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• 2009

A reformer, which produces hydrogen from natural gas, plays a major role for producing quality hydrogen to fuel-cell system. In this paper, fuel processor is designed to deliver hydrogen(75%) from the reformer to 200W fuel-cell system, and the electrical output power of the fuel-cells is examined by being injected different hydrogen concentrations to the system. We verified that the output power characteristics of the fuel-cells with 75% reformed hydrogen was lower about 7% than the case of pure hydrogen supplied. The type of reformer in this experiment takes SMR(Steam methane reforming) process, and the temperature variation characteristics of reforming process by reactions are examined in operation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.615-616
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• 2006

A micro-fuel processor system integrating steam reformer and partial oxidation reactor was manufactured using low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC). A CuO/ZnO/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst and Pt-based catalyst prepared by wet impregnation were used for steam reforming and partial oxidation, respectively. The performance of the LTCC micro-fuel processor was measured at various operating conditions such as the effect of the feed flow rate, the ratio of $H_2O/CH_3OH$, and the operating temperature on the LTCC reformer and CO clean-up system. The catalyst layer was loaded with "Fill and Dry" coating for small volume. The product gas was composed of $70\sim75%$ hydrogen, $20\sim25%$ carbon dioxide, and $1\sim2%$ carbon monoxide at $250\sim300^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.636-644
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• 2008

The objective of this paper is to investigate characteristics of an autothermal reformer at various operating conditions. Numerical method has been used, and simulation model has been developed for the analysis. Pseudo-homogeneous model is incorporated because the reactor is filled with catalysts of a packed-bed type. Dominant chemical reactions are Full Combustion reaction, Steam Reforming(SR) reaction, Water-Gas Shift(WGS) reaction, and Direct Steam Reforming(DSR) reaction. Simulation results are compared with experimental results for code validation. Operating parameters of the autothermal reformer are inlet temperature, Oxygen to Carbon Ratio(OCR), Steam to Carbon Ratio(SCR), and Gas Hourly Space Velocity(GHSV). Temperature at the reactor center, fuel conversion, species at the reformer outlet, and reforming efficiency are shown as simulation results. SR reaction rate is improved by increased inlet temperature. Reforming efficiency and fuel conversion reached the maximum at 0.7 of OCR. SR reaction and WGS reaction are activated as SCR increases. When GHSV is increased, reforming efficiency increases but pressure drop from the increased GHSV may decrease the system efficiency.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2010

In this study, the efficiency of a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system with a steam reformer or prereformer was analyzed under various conditions. The main components of the system are the reformer, SOFC, and water boiling heat recovery system. Endothermic and exothermic reactions occur in the reformer and SOFC, respectively. Hence, the thermal management of the SOFC system greatly influences the SOFC system efficiency. First, the efficiencies of SOFC systems with a steam reformer and a prereformer are compared. The system with the prereformer was more efficient than the one with steam reformer due to less heat loss. Second, the system efficiencies under various prereformer operating conditions were analyzed. The system efficiency was a function of the heat requirement of the system. The efficiency increased with an increase in the operating temperature of the prereformer, and the maximum system efficiency was observed at $450^{\circ}C$ for a S/C of 2.0.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2016

In this study, CFD model for a Heat Exchange Steam Reformer (HESR) used for a 10kW SOFC system is developed for the design optimization of the HESR. The model is used to explore the effect of design parameters on the performance of the HESR. In the HESR, heat is delivered from the hot gas channel to the fuel channel to supply the heat required for the fuel reforming. In the fuel channel where the fuel is reformed, thermo-fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and chemical reaction are considered to predict the performance of the reformer. The model is validated with experimental data within 2~3% error. The validated model is used for the parametric study of the HESR design. Channel length, channel diameter, and flow direction are selected as the design parameters. The effects of the HESR design parameters on the outlet temperature, outlet H2 mole fraction, and pressure drop across the reformer are presented using the model.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.156.1-156.1
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• 2011

It is of great importance to predict operating parameter characteristics of an integrated fuel processor by the increased life-time and system performance. In this study, computational analysis is performed to gain fundamental insights on transport phenomena and chemical reactions in reformer which consists of preheating, steam reforming, and water gas shift reaction beds. Also, a top-fired burner locates inside of the reforming system. The combustor is providing thermal energy necessary for the steam reforming bed which is a endothermic catalytic reactor. Two-dimensional numerical model of the integrated fuel processing system is introduced for the analysis of heat and mass transport phenomena as well as surface kinetics and catalytic process. A kinetic model was developed and then computational results were compared with the experimental data available in the literature. Subsequently, parameter study using the validated steam methane reforming model was conducted by considering operating parameters, i.e. steam to carbon ratio and temperature.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.2886-2891
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to develop a highly-efficient and compact steam reformer for PEMFC changing the burner types. For the purpose some of the Can type flat burners were adopted and the results were compared with 'O' company's typical cylinderical flat burner. We used commercial STAR-CD tools for numerical calculation. We found the optimum Can type STR burner and this type of burner was highly efficient comparing with typical burner.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.100-108
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• 2011

The use of biogas as an energy source reduces the chance of possible emission of two greenhouse gases, $CH_4$ and $CO_2$, into the atmosphere at the same time. Its nature of being a reproducible energy source makes its use even more attractive. This research if for the hydrogen production through the steam reforming of the biogas. The biogas utilized 3D-IR matrix burner in which the surface combustion is applied. The nickel 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%, 19.32L/$g{\cdot}hr$ and $700^{\circ}C$ respectively, the hydrogen concentration and methane conversion rate were showed maximum values. Under the condition mentioned above, $H_2$ concentration was 73.9% and methane conversion rate was 98.9%.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

In this study, an efficient one-dimensional model was developed for predicting microchannel steam/methane reformers with thin washcoat catalyst layers with a focus on low-pressure reforming conditions suitable for distributed hydrogen production systems for fuel cell applications. The governing equations for steam/methane mixture gas flowing through the microchannel reformer were derived considering the species conservation with reforming reactions and energy conservation with external convective heat supply. The reaction rates for the developed model were simply determined through the catalyst effectiveness factor correlations instead of performing complicated calculations for the steam/methane reforming process occurring inside the washcoat catalyst layers. The accuracy of the developed was verified by comparing the results obtained herein with those obtained by the detailed computational fluid dynamics calculation for the same microchannel reformer.