Hydrogen production in reverse tesla valve reactor combining ethanol steam reforming and water gas shift reaction

This study uses a reverse Tesla valve (RTVR) as a reactor for ethanol steam reforming (ESR) and water gas shift reaction (WGSR) to produce hydrogen. By combining ESR with WGSR to produce hydrogen, the dual objectives of enhancing hydrogen production and mitigating the negative impacts of carbon monoxide on the reactor can be implemented. This application of the RTVR reactor in thermochemical hydrogen production represents a novel advancement in this field. Three different reactors, including RTVR, bridge-type, and rectangular-type reactors, are adopted for comparison. The results reveal that the RTVR outperforms the other reactor types, achieving higher ethanol conversion rates and greater hydrogen yield, stemming from its special flow field design. However, a drawback accompanied by the RTVR is its higher pressure drop. The study identifies optimal operating conditions, including a temperature of 600 °C, a steam-to-ethanol (S/E) ratio of 3, outlet pressure of 1.5 atm, and a Reynolds number of 10, under which the RTVR reaches an ethanol conversion rate of 96.76 % and a hydrogen yield of 4.7 mol (mol C₂H₅OH)⁻¹, showing its high performance. This advancement in reactor design offers the potential for more efficient hydrogen production technologies.