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Formulation of steam-methane reforming rate in Ni-YSZ porous anode of solid oxide fuel cells

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Abstract

The steam-methane reforming reaction on a Ni-YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) cermet was experimentally investigated under atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range from 650 to 750 °C. We examined the effects of the partial pressures of methane and steam in the supply gas on the reaction rate. The experiments were conducted with a low Ni contained Ni-YSZ cermet sheet of thickness 0.1 mm. Its porous microstructure and accompanied parameters were quantified using the FIB-SEM (focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy) technique. A power-law-type rate equation incorporating the reaction-rate-limiting conditions was obtained on the basis of the unit surface area of the Ni-pore contact surface in the cermet. The kinetics indicated a strong positive dependence on the methane partial pressure and a negative dependence on the steam partial pressure. The obtained rate equation successfully reproduced the experimental results for Ni-YSZ samples having different microstructures in the case of low methane consumption. The equation also reproduced the limiting-reaction behaviours at different temperatures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 615-8540, Japan

    Shinichi Sugihara, Yusuke Kawamura & Hiroshi Iwai

  2. Corporate R&D Div.2, Denso Corporation, Kariya, Aichi, 448-8661, Japan

    Shinichi Sugihara

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  1. Shinichi Sugihara
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  2. Yusuke Kawamura
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  3. Hiroshi Iwai
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Correspondence to Shinichi Sugihara.

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Sugihara, S., Kawamura, Y. & Iwai, H. Formulation of steam-methane reforming rate in Ni-YSZ porous anode of solid oxide fuel cells. Heat Mass Transfer 54, 2497–2505 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-018-2299-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-018-2299-1

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