Transport Mechanism of Methane Steam Reforming on Fixed Bed Catalyst Heated by High Temperature Helium for Hydrogen Production: A CFD Investigation

Performance of methane steam reforming reactor heated by helium for hydrogen production has been studied by numerical method. Results show with the increasing of reactant gas inlet velocity, temperature in the reactor drops, leading to the decreasing of methane conversion and hydrogen production rate. Methane conversion, hydrogen production and hydrogen production rate rise with the increasing of reactant gas inlet temperature, while the increasing degree of system thermal efficiency reduces. Besides, with helium inlet velocity rising, temperature in the reactor increases and reaction in the reactor becomes more sufficient. Therefore, methane conversion and hydrogen production also increase when helium inlet temperature of rises, but its influence is weaker compared to that of helium inlet velocity. In the process of methane steam reforming heated by high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR) for hydrogen production, lower reactant gas inlet velocity, suitable inlet temperature, higher inlet velocity and higher HTGR outlet temperature of helium are preferable.