Operability Analysis and Design of a Reverse-Flow Microreactor for Hydrogen Generation via Methane Partial Oxidation

We present an operability analysis and a design of a microreactor for hydrogen generation via
methane partial oxidation used in unidirectional (UD) and reverse-flow (RF) modes of operation.
We show that the reverse-flow operation is more robust with respect to a wide range of changes
in reaction parameters. Furthermore, we demonstrate that autothermal operation can be
maintained only in the RF mode and not in the UD mode at higher hydrogen throughput or
with partial deactivation of the catalyst. On the other hand, increasing the catalyst loading and
using the reactor with a higher thermal diffusivity of the solid structure expands the region of
stable autothermal UD operation. An analysis of model sensitivity to the kinetic parameters is
also performed. On the basis of this, a rational scheme for improved catalyst placement in the
RF reactor is proposed.