Simulation of Two-dimensional Reactor of Hydrogen Production by Methanol and Selection of the Tube Diameter

Tow-dimensional mathematical model of hydrogen production by methanol decomposition and steam-reforming reactor was established, taking CO and CO_2 as the key components. The concentration and temperature profiles in axial and radial direction inside the reaction tubes were obtained by two-(dimensional) orthogonal collocation method. It was investigated that how the reaction-tube diameter (influenced) the performance of the reactor for methanol steam-reforming. For the equal volume of loaded (catalyst) and the same operational conditions, the temperature of the reactor outlet reduced and the radial temperature difference of catalytic bed enhanced with the increase of reaction-tube diameter, the time-(space) yield of H_2 had a dropping trend, but the number of reaction-tube needed reduced rapidly.