Effect of Heating Tube Configuration on Hydrogen Production via Propane Steam Reforming: A Numerical Study

Abstract

The hydrogen energy has received considerable attention in recent years due to escalating global concerns over climate change. Hydrogen production relies mainly on steam reforming, an endothermic process that requires external heat. Because of this, the rate of heat transfer within the reactor is a major factor in determining the reaction rate and the total hydrogen yield. This study presents a detailed numerical analysis of a shell-and-tube propane steam reformer to investigate the impact of heating tube configuration on reaction behavior, temperature distribution, and catalyst stability. The model incorporates both primary steam reforming and secondary water-gas shift (WGS) reactions to examine the hydrogen production and carbon monoxide formation. The finite element-based model of COMSOL is used to simulate the reformer. Based on the numerical outcomes, a higher number of heating tubes results in greater hydrogen production, as an increase in tube numbers from 6 to 10 results in hydrogen yields of 41.901% to 43.652%, respectively, and an increase in CO concentration from 0.0541% to 0.104%, which causes a significant risk of catalyst deactivation. The results provide valuable guidelines for maintaining propane reformers in a thermally and kinetically optimized state, emphasizing the importance of effective heat management, optimized steam-to-carbon ratios, and coking-resistant catalyst formulations.