Development and evaluation of an integrated methanol reformer and catalytic gas clean-up system for a spfc electric vehicle

Informazioni relative al progetto

MERCATOX

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: JOE3950002

Data di avvio 1 Gennaio 1996

Data di completamento 30 Giugno 1999

Finanziato da

• Specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1994-1998

Costo totale € 0,00

Contributo UE Nessun dato

Coordinato da

ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE NETHERLANDS
Netherlands

Risultati finali

Development And Evaluation Of An Integrated Methanol Reformer And Catalytic Gas Clean-Up System For An SPFC Electric Vehicle: MERCATOX

The aim of the project called MERCATOX was to develop and evaluate a prototype integrated catalytic methanol steam reformer and high temperature selective oxidation gas clean-up system to produce a hydrogen rich fuel for a Solid Polymer Fuel Cell (SPFC) and to meet the performance requirements (including transients) of an electric vehicle. The design of the methanol reformer and gas clean-up system was based on a compact aluminium fin and tube heat exchanger. A methanol reforming catalyst, a combustion catalyst for burning fuel cell off-gases and a selective catalyst for oxidising carbon monoxide were coated on to the aluminium plates in the heat exchangers. This resulted in a compact unit with exceptional heat transfer characteristics. The performance of the combustion and selective oxidation catalysts met the process requirements but the coated methanol reforming catalyst performed disappointingly. As a result, the prototype 20kW methanol fuel processor built to evaluate the system did not produce the expected volume of hydrogen rich gas at the required methanol conversion. Consequently the volume and weight targets specified by the end user could not be met. The gas clean-up unit reduced the carbon monoxide concentration from levels of over 1% to below 10ppm. Data accumulated with synthetic reformate suggests that the gas clean-up unit will meet the specified requirements at 400 l min-1 of reformate. The MERCATOX project was specifically targeted at an SPFC electric passenger car. Whilst not achieving the technical targets specified, MERCATOX project represents a considerable step forward in on-board fuel processing technology. All other ‘state of the art’ fuel processors are unable to meet the specification for start up and response times, weight and volume. With the possible exception of start up time, MERCATOX has the potential to meet the specific density and power targets set by the US government PNGV programme for the year 2000. The technology could also be used in other areas of transportation from buses to locomotives. The principle of coated catalysts on metal substrates using different materials and catalysts could be extended to process other feedstocks, such as natural gas, gasoline, diesel etc. This would open up the stationary power and military markets to this type of technology. Markets outside of fuel cells include process intensification.