Monolithic structures as alternatives to particulate catalysts for the reforming of hydrocarbons for hydrogen generation

The use of particulate catalyst beds in the industrial production of hydrogen is well known. Engineers conceiving new process designs today for fuel processing can take advantage of the successful experience of environmental catalysis in automotive and stationary applications using monolithic catalysts and other substrates such as heat exchangers. In this paper, the unit operations of hydrogen generation are reviewed with the perspective of describing the opportunities of implementing such new catalyst technologies in small-scale fuel processing.