A miniaturized methanol reformer with Si-based microreactor for a small PEMFC

A miniaturized methanol reformer with Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst-based microreactor suitable for the supply of hydrogen for a small proton exchange membrane fuel cell is designed and fabricated using microfabrication techniques. The microreactor (25×17×1.3mm3) is constructed from glass and silicon substrates to form a serpentine catalyst-coated microchannel of 333 mm in length and cross-section of 0.6×0.4mm2, designed based on mass and heat balance analyses using a one-dimensional model. The use of the high-performance Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst allows for higher hydrogen production rates than possible using a commercial Cu/ZnO catalyst. The microreactor is demonstrated to be capable maintaining a hydrogen production rate suitable for powering 1 W-class devices such as cellular phones.