Experimental evaluation of a Pt based heat exchanger methanol reformer for a HTPEM fuel cell

The storage of hydrogen in hydrogen consuming applications is often inconvenient because of the very low density of hydrogen even at high pressures (0.014 kg/L @ 300 bar) or cryogenically (0.043 kg/L). Much higher volumetric energy densities can be achieved using liquid hydrocarbons as e.g. methanol. A hydrocarbon as methanol can be derived from e.g. biomass and be used directly in a PEM fuel cell, but with a poor performance and often complicated water management system.
Another way of using methanol in a fuel cell is by steam reforming it over a catalyst to hydrogen : CH3OH+H2O <=> CO2 + 3H2. Included in this reaction is the decomposition of methanol, which produces CO : CH3OH <=> CO + 2H2 , The CO can be removed by adding extra water to the gas by a water-gas-shift: CO + H2O <=> CO2 + H2. The hydrogen can then be used in a fuel cell with a much better performance than the DMFC. Many Nafion based low temperature PEM fuel cells are intolerant to CO in the anode gas, and require very pure hydrogen with only up to 100 ppm CO or even lower. Another type of PEM fuel cells, the PBI based high temperature PEM operates at high temperatures (160-180oC), and has a much higher tolerance of CO (up to 1-2%). This work examines the possibility of using a catalyst coated plate heat exchanger for the reforming process of methanol.