MiRTH-e: Micro Reactor Technology for Hydrogen and electricity

Research groups of six companies, institutes and universities have joint forces in a European Community funded project, to develop a miniaturized, low-power fuel processor for the conversion of methanol into clean hydrogen for use in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The integrated unit will provide a portable power source and is an alternative for battery packs or hydrogen storage in metal hydrides. In the realization of this small-scale fuel processor, microreactor technology will play a key role. Based upon a so-called pinch analysis, a conceptual design of the fuel processor is made, consisting of three combined microreactors/heat exchangers.