ETHANOL STEAM REFORMING IN A MOLTEN-CARBONATE FUEL-CELL - A PRELIMINARY KINETIC INVESTIGATION

The decomposition of ethanol to COx and H-2 was investigated under a w ide range of operating conditions. High pressure reduces H-2, CO and C O2 production, while high temperature produces the opposite effect. At T < 600 K the reaction also produces oxygenated compounds (acetaldehy de, ethyl acetate, acetic acid etc.) and H-2 yield is reduced. To extr apolate the kinetic findings obtained in the microreactor at atmospher ic pressure to ideal high pressure equipment, a mathematical model has been used. The simulation shows the feasibility of the process at tem peratures between 800 and 1000 K, and pressures up to 100 bar. The use of a CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst exhibits good activity, and more expensiv e catalysts are unnecessary. Copyright (C) 1996 International Associat ion for Hydrogen Energy.