Effect of catalyst distribution in the combustion catalytic layer on heat and mass transport characteristics of the microchannel reactor

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of catalyst distribution in the combustion catalytic layer on heat and mass transport characteristics of the auto-thermal methanol steam reforming microchannel reactor. Design/methodology/approach Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to study four different gradient designs. The corresponding distributions of temperature, species and chemical reaction rate are provided and compared. Findings The distributions of species, temperature and chemical reaction rate are significantly affected by the catalyst distribution in the combustion catalytic layer. A more uniform temperature distribution can be observed when the gradient design is used. Meanwhile, the methanol conversion rate is also improved. Practical implications This work reveals the effect of catalyst distribution in the combustion catalytic layer on heat and mass transport characteristics of the auto-thermal methanol steam reforming microchannel reactor and provides guidance for the design of reactors. Originality/value The temperature uniformity and hydrogen production performance can be improved by the gradient design in the combustion catalytic layer.