Parametric Study on the Performance of Methanol Steam Reformer with Taguchi Method

• Main Authors: Shun-ChiehHuang, 黃舜杰
• Other Authors: Horng-Wen Wu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/89392521071777702446

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 系統及船舶機電工程學系碩博士班 === 101 === This study uses methanol steam reforming with Taguchi method to identify the heating temperature, steam to carbonate ratio (S/C) with carrier gas volume flow rate corresponding to each quality objective optimization factor combinations. In this study, three different control factors will select three different levels, heating temperature with the 220, 250 and 280 K, steam to carbonate ratio (S/C) with 0.9, 1.0, and 1.1 using N2 carrier gas with the volume flow rate of 40, 70 and 100 cm3/min. Using Taguchi orthogonal arrays and control of factor combinations performs the experiment, measures, and records the hydrogen concentration, CO concentration, CO2 concentration, and N2 concentration to calculate methanol conversion rate and hydrogen production efficiency. This study uses Taguchi method to greatly reduce experimental runs so it can decrease cost and obtain the most stable results and better repeatability. In addition, the influence level of each control factor on hydrogen production concentration, hydrogen production efficiency, methanol conversion rate, CO concentration, CO2 concentration, and N2 concentration is analyzed through Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Furthermore, the positive impact factors and contribution on level quality objective are identified and the optimal factor combinations corresponding to each quality objective are obtained. The results show that when the nozzle is set at volume flow rate of methanol aqueous solution of 3.1 cm3/min, S/C ratio of 0.9, volume flow rate of carrier gas of 40 cm3/min, and the reaction temperature of 280 ℃, the highest hydrogen production is 0.074 mole/min, which is equivalent to 108.8 liters per hour of hydrogen generation. The proton exchange membrane fuel cells for hydrogen use efficiency is theoretically about 70 %, so 1000 watts of proton exchange membrane fuel cell requires 33.3 mole/hr for the actual amount of hydrogen. It is thus inferred that this amount of hydrogen generated in 4.44 mole/hr, will be able to supply the use for 133.34 watts of proton exchange membrane fuel cell.