Abstract
In this article, a low-temperature partial-oxidation-mode (POM) micro methanol reformer with the performance of high durability and hydrogen productivity is introduced. Our previous researches [1,2] have demonstrated a POM type micro reformer with an operation temperature at 220 °C and fuel conversion rate and hydrogen selection rate higher than 90%. In this study, a much improved micro methanol reformer, combining nano-catalyst dispensing technique with serpentine micro flow structures, can further reduce the operation temperature down to 180 °C but still carry out a comparable performance. Experimental results showed that the hydrogen yield can be obviously increased 2.6 times with increased concentration of methanol from 1.3 * 10- 5 to 3.4 * 10- 5 (mole/min) with conversion rate near 98% at 180°C · The ratio of hydrogen yield to feed rate also approaches as high as 0.051 in this study at 180°C, superior to most of the reports in the literature [3].