Engineering progress in methanol steam reforming for hydrogen production: catalyst design, reactor intensification, and system integration

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) has considerable engineering potential for distributed hydrogen production, mobile energy supply, and stationary energy supply and hydrogen production. Its advantages include convenient methanol storage and transport, relatively low reforming temperatures, and suitability for on-site hydrogen production. This review is organized around three interconnected levels: catalyst, reactor, and system. It systematically reviews advances in catalyst design, reactor intensification and thermal management, and system integration, while discussing the major engineering constraints and evaluation priorities for different application scenarios. Existing studies show that the practical performance of MSR systems depends jointly on catalyst performance, reactor-level heat and mass transfer, thermal management, and system integration. However, laboratory-scale performance advantages may deteriorate during engineering scale-up and dynamic or long-term operation. Different application scenarios impose different requirements on system scale, dynamic response, energy utilization, operational stability, and economics. Therefore, technical solutions should be selected according to the specific task and operating conditions. Future studies should strengthen validation at the engineering scale and under long-term dynamic operation, and further clarify the performance relationships among catalysts, reactors, and systems. Different technical solutions should also be evaluated comprehensively in terms of engineering performance, economics, and carbon emissions within clearly defined system boundaries.