Pre-reforming of natural gas in solid oxide fuel-cell systems

Several measures concerning fuel processing in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOF C) system offer the possibility of significant cost reduction and higher sy stem efficiencies. For SOFC systems, the ratio between internal and pre-ref orming has to be optimized on the basis of experimental performance data. F urthermore, anode gas recycling by an injector in front of the pre-reformer can eliminate the steam generator and the corresponding heat of evaporatio n. A detailed study is carried out on pre-reforming in a reformer of consid erable size (10 kW(el)). Simulating anode gas recycling with an injector, t he influence of carbon dioxide on reactor performance was studied. Also, th e dependence of the methanol conversion on mass flow and temperature will b e discussed. In addition, some results concerning the dynamic behaviour of the pre-reformer are given. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reser ved.