Catalysis for decentralized hydrogen production

Dion G. Vlachos

Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology
(CCST) University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716-3110

Abstract

Future portable and distributed energy production will happen at much smaller scales than the traditional economy of scales encountered in oil and petrochemical industry. Reactors have to be much more compact and efficient and catalysts more active and selective. In this talk, three processes of smaller scale hydrogen production will be presented. The first is ammonia decomposition on Ru. Ammonia has one of the largest gravimetric hydrogen storage capacities and is an excellent COx-free fuel. We will discuss the chemistry on Ru, the effect of particle size and shape on activity, and methods to find optimal catalysts. The other processes are partial oxidation and steam reforming of methane on Rh, a prototype example of hydrocarbon or biomass to syngas conversion with inherently more complex chemistry. Steam reforming of methane to syngas has been traditionally thought to be very slow and unsuitable for onboard application. We show that all these processes can run at submillisecond contact times. The debate about direct and indirect pathways of partial oxidation is resolved by studying the underlying reaction mechanisms via multiscale modeling and comparison to microprobe mass spec experimental data.

Speaker’s Bio - Dr. Vlachos is Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He is currently the Drector of the Center for Catalytic Science and Technology. His main research thrust is multiscale modeling and simulation along with their application to catalysis and portable microchemical devices for power generation, reforming of renewables and alternative fuels, catalyst informatics, microreactors, and process intensification.