Volume 46: Energy Transitions toward Carbon Neutrality: Part IX

Preparation and Simulation of 3D Printed Cu/ZnO Structured Catalysts for On-Board Methanol Steam Reforming Chuandong Li, Hongxiang Zheng, Ruhang Zhang, Xinhai Yu, Bo Li, Shan-Tung Tu

Abstract

Currently, the main types of methanol steam reforming (MSR) reactors used in vehicles are fixed bed reactors and microchannel reactors. However, these two-dimensional reactors have limitations such as restricted radial diffusion, catalyst coating peeling off easily, and high pressure drop. In this study, a new type of three-dimensional porous Cu/ZnO catalyst was developed using 3D printing combined with dealloying technology. The internal mass and heat transfer characteristics of the three catalyst structures, Cylindrical microchannel, Diamond, and Gyroid, were revealed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The simulation results showed that the Gyroid structure with its curved and smooth flow channels enhanced radial mass and heat transfer while having the advantage of low pressure drop. Performance tests showed that the Gyroid structure catalyst exhibited high activity and good stability.

Keywords methanol steam reforming, laser powder bed fusion, dealloying, structural catalyst, computational fluid dynamics