Methanol-to-electricity via low-temperature steam reforming integrated with a high-temperature PEM fuel cell

Abstract

Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) are a promising method for renewable, green hydrogen transportation from the point of generation using renewable energy to the point of demand. Methanol is one such LOHC with advantages such as high hydrogen content, easy transportation and a simple reaction to release the hydrogen. Herein, we reported the use of a novel supported liquid phase (SLP) catalyst in a miniplant to carry out low-temperature methanol steam reforming (MSR) to release hydrogen and subsequently produce electricity using a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC). This reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) setup successfully ran over the course of 45 h experiencing little catalyst deactivation, producing up to 49.2 l_N h⁻¹ of hydrogen and up to 39 W electrical power using HT-PEMFC. Comparing between the reformate gas produced using SLP catalyst and pure hydrogen as feed for the fuel cell, the HT-PEMFC showed almost no difference in the voltage–current characteristic curve in the technically relevant operating points between 500 and 700 mV cell voltage. Furthermore, a pinch analysis indicated that the combination of a low-temperature MSR and HT-PEMFC presents an opportunity for heat-integration which could lead to increased efficiency.