Low Temperature Methane Steam Reforming for SOFC

Abstract

The properties of flowerlike microspheres ceria based nickel catalyst for low temperature methane steam reforming (SMR) were studied. The ceria microspheres were prepared by hydrothermal method. Catalyst of nano-sized nickel oxide particles based on flowerlike cerium oxide microspheres with high dispersion were prepared to achieve simultaneous dehydrogenation of methane and water molecules on multi-active sites. The catalyst was characterized by means of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results showed that this special catalyst NiO/CeO 2 had high activity and stability for SMR reaction below 600 o C. The stability of the catalyst reached more than 1000 hours. The conversion of methane under 590 o C was above 90%.The tests of the influence of different H 2 O/CH 4 mole ratios on activity and selectivity of catalyst showed that 1.5~2.5 ratios were an ideal choice. During the running of micro-tube methane steam reformer with this catalyst, the methane conversion of 556 o C kept over 25 mol.%.