Development of pressure swing reforming for hydrogen production onboard a vehicle

PETR 130

Robert P. Lucchesi, robert.p.lucchesi@exxonmobil.com1, Frank Hershkowitz, Frank.Hershkowitz@ExxonMobil.com2, Richard F. Socha, richard.f.socha@exxonmobil.com2, and Paul J. Berlowitz1. (1) Corporate Strategic Research, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, P.O. Box 998, Annandale, NJ 08801, (2) Corporate Strategic Reseach, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, P.O. Box 998, Annandale, NJ 08801
ExxonMobil's Pressure Swing Reforming (PSR) technology can potentially overcome many of the disadvantages of ATR (e.g. start-up time and energy input) and conventional steam reforming (e.g. metallurgy limitations) for onboard hydrogen generation. PSR utilizes a cyclic reverse flow reactor consisting of two distinct steps. During the regeneration step, the reactor is heated by combusting a gaseous fuel. During reforming, a hydrocarbon fuel is catalytically steam reformed in the hot zone created by regeneration. ExxonMobil has developed a prototype dual-bed PSR to demonstrate the direct steam reforming of commercial liquid fuels. We have achieved >1000 hours of operation and our latest reactor design can achieve >99% conversion of carbon to CO + CO2. This paper will discuss the performance we have achieved with our PSR prototype, as well as our long-term goal of demonstrating an integrated fuel processor that is capable of producing hydrogen onboard a vehicle to supply hydrogen to a fuel cell.