Development of highly compact PROX system for PEMFC fuel processor

A preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor for a 10 and 25-kWe polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems is developed. Pt-Ru/Al2O3 catalyst powder with a size of 300-600 mu m is used for the PROX reaction. To minimize pressure drop and to avoid hot spots in the catalyst bed, the reactor is designed as a multi-stage, multi-tube system. The steady and transient performances were investigated using gasoline-reformed gas. A newly designed heat exchanger type PROX system with non-pellet type coated catalyst was also designed and applied to a small-scale PROX system.