Reforming results of a novel radial reactor for a solid oxide fuel cell system with anode off-gas recirculation

A novel reactor of a natural gas (NG) fueled, 1 kW net power solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system with anode off-gas recirculation (AOGR) is experimentally investigated. The reactor operates as pre-reformer, is of the type radial reactor with centrifugal z-flow, has the shape of a hollow cylinder with a volume of approximately 1 L and is equipped with two different precious metal wire-mesh catalyst packages as well as with an internal electric heater. Reforming investigations of the reactor are done stand-alone but as if the reactor would operate within the total SOFC system with AOGR. For the tests presented here it is assumed that the SOFC system runs on pure CH4 instead of NG. The manuscript focuses on the various phases of reactor operation during the startup process of the SOFC system. Startup process reforming experiments cover reactor operation points at which it runs on an oxygen to carbon ratio at the reactor inlet (ϕRI) of 1.2 with air supplied, up to a ϕRI of 2.4 without air supplied. As confirmed by a Monte Carlo simulation, most of the measured outlet gas concentrations are in or close to equilibrium. •Novel reactor of a 1 kW SOFC system with anode off-gas recirculation introduced.•Pre-reformer of radial reactor type with centrifugal z-flow and wire-mesh catalyst.•Stand-alone reactor experiments emulating SOFC system startup.•Analysis of reactor internal temperatures, its pressure loss and product gas.•Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the reactor product gas for equilibrium.