Direct electro-steam reforming: a novel catalytic approach

Steam reforming is widely used in the chemical industry to produce hydrogen from light hydrocarbon gases such as methane. Conventional reforming suffers from three major drawbacks: inefficient reactor heat transfer, high reactor maintenance cost and high methane fuel consumption. A novel approach to steam reforming is described, which utilizes electricity to supply heat directly to the catalyst surface through resistance heating. The catalyst support is in the form of a resistant metal screen, washcoated with alumina on which Ni catalyst is dispersed. Advantages of this approach are discussed, demonstration experiments are described and areas for further development are identified. The concept is applicable to other highly endothermic catalytic reaction processes.