Production of hydrogen from methanol; 2: Experimental studies

Various copper-aluminum catalyst with copper concentration ranging from 0 to 27.8% copper were prepared by coprecipitation techniques. These catalysts were calcined at temperatures in the range of 300--700 C and then reduced in a H[sub 2] atmosphere at 300 C. Methanol decomposition and steam reforming reactions were studied in a microreactor at atmospheric pressure over a temperature range of 170--250 C and methanol space velocities (WHSV) of 26.4 and 16.7 h[sup [minus]1], respectively. Methanol conversion was found to be a strong function of catalyst reducibility and copper concentration. Also, reaction efficiency depended strongly on the amount of Cu[sub 2]O formed in the activated catalyst. In addition, reaction temperature, type of feed, and catalyst characteristics had tremendous effects on H[sub 2] yield and selectivity in the production of hydrogen from methanol. Maximum H[sub 2] production efficiency of 78 mol% was obtained in the steam reforming reaction at 250 C with the catalyst containing 27.8 wt% copper and calcined at 700 C.