Unraveling the maze: Understanding of diesel reforming through the use of simplified fuel blends

Diesel and logistics fuels offer high energy storage in very convenient transportable forms. However, converting these fuels to hydrogen for use in a fuel cell has proven a difficult task. The task is made more difficult by the complex nature of the fuels, which makes following the chemistry close to impossible. By utilizing simplified mixtures, we are developing an understanding of diesel reforming and how factors such as H2O:C and O2:C ratios, temperature, and fuel composition affect the reactions. Intermediates in the oxidation and coke-forming reactions have been identified which allow us to follow the desired reactions as well as undesirable side reactions. Using the information from the simplified systems, we are then able to build up an understanding of the more complex real-world system.