High Performance Fuel Processor Development for Fuel Cell Systems

这项研究将使用多尺度建模和实验方法来设计改革器，这将显著提高使用液体燃料的燃料电池系统的效率并降低成本。大多数工业催化化学反应器都是为大规模稳态操作而设计的，其目标是获得最大的产品产率和催化剂寿命。另一方面，燃料电池系统的燃料处理器必须能够对不断变化的负载做出反应，快速启动和关闭，并尽可能多地捕获废热，以实现最高效率。这些要求表明，需要重新考虑重整催化剂的特点，并确定新的催化剂部署材料和方法，以实现快速响应、良好的传热和合理的停机和非稳态操作耐用性。为了实现这些目标，我们将设计具有导热性、孔隙率和催化活性之间最佳平衡的多孔纳米材料。通过优化这些性能，并将催化剂作为热交换表面的涂层进行部署，将显着改善反应器的性能。然而，这需要对发生在微米和纳米尺度上的传输和反应过程有更深入的了解。15名学生和博士后研究员将接受催化和反应器设计基本原理的培训，这些技能在化学工业中有广泛的应用。他们还将认识到提高效率、减少对环境的影响和为一般社会提供清洁能源的重要性。这项研究的目标是开发高效和可靠的柴油改革器，使价格经济的柴油燃料电池系统能够商业化，以取代目前为加拿大偏远社区和工作地点提供电力的柴油内燃机发电机车队，这些发电机对环境有害。在加拿大远北地区等地区提供清洁电力将产生新的经济活动，同时保护我国在这些环境敏感的荒野地区的主权。

This research will use a multi-scale modelling and experimental approach to the design of reformers that will significantly improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of fuel cell systems operating on liquid fuels. Most industrial catalytic chemical reactors are designed for large scale steady-state operation where the objective is to achieve maximum product yield and catalyst lifetime. On the other hand, a fuel processor for a fuel cell system must be able to respond to a changing load, start up and shut down quickly and capture as much waste heat as possible to achieve maximum efficiency. These requirements indicate the need to rethink the characteristics of reforming catalysts and define new materials and methods of catalyst deployment that allow for fast response, excellent heat transfer and reasonable durability for stop-start and non-steady state operation. To achieve these goals we will design porous nanomaterials with the optimal balance between thermal conductivity, porosity and catalytic activity. By optimizing these properties and deploying the catalyst as a coating on a heat exchange surface significant improvements in reactor performance will be achieved. This, however, requires developing a deeper understanding of the transport and reaction processes occurring on the Micro and Nano scale. Fifteen students and postdoctoral fellows will receive training in the fundamental principles of catalysis and reactor design; skills that have a wide range of application in the chemical industry. They will also be made aware of the importance of improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and providing clean energy for society in general. The goal of the research is to develop efficient and reliable diesel reformers that will enable the commercialization of economically priced diesel-fuelled fuel cell systems to displace the environmentally harmful fleet of diesel combustion engine powered generators that currently provide power for remote communities and work sites in Canada. Providing clean electrical power in areas such as Canada's Far North will generate new economic activity while protecting our nation's sovereignty in these environmentally sensitive wilderness regions.