Methanol reformers enable efficient, on-demand hydrogen production using methanol – a safer, more easily stored and transported alternative to pure hydrogen. To advance methanol reformer technology—improving efficiency, stability, and safety—precise, real-time gas composition monitoring is vital.
At Hiden Analytical, we provide specialised gas analysis solutions that support methanol reformer development, catalyst testing, and system optimisation. Below, we outline why online gas analysis is critical in this field, and how our gas analyser systems meet these specific demands.
Process Optimisation and Catalyst Development:
Maximising hydrogen yield while minimising CO and other by-products requires selective catalysts and careful adjustment of parameters such as temperature and the steam-to-carbon ratio. Monitoring gas conversion rates and by-product formation is also essential for evaluating catalyst performance and degradation over time, especially since CO control is critical due to the sensitivity of fuel cell catalysts [1-3].
Why Choose Hiden Analytical Gas Analysers for Methanol Reformer Studies?
Our gas analysis systems offer key features designed to meet the specific challenges involved in methanol reformer research and development:
Heated Vapour Sampling for Accurate Methanol and Water Analysis
Our systems feature a quartz capillary inlet that can be heated up to 200°C. This prevents condensation and ensures reliable sampling of high concentrations of methanol and water vapour, with a rapid response time of typically 150-300 milliseconds.
Real-Time Online Gas Analysis
Using quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) with direct inlet technology, Hiden analysers deliver fast, continuous gas composition data. Unlike slower alternatives such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), our systems handle scan speeds in the millisecond range—crucial for dynamic reformer testing.
Intuitive Quantification Software
Our LabVIEW-based software package, QGAsoft, simplifies mass spectrometry operation, even for users new to the technology. Spectral overlaps are automatically subtracted, and gas concentrations are displayed in real-time as volume percentages (vol.%) or parts per million (ppm).
Figure 1: QGAsoft scan setup
Figure 2: Fragment mass and ratio in QGAsoft scan setup
Multipoint Calibration for Enhanced Accuracy
Reformer gas concentrations often vary across wide ranges. Our software includes both single and multipoint calibration features, allowing precise measurement from ppm to percentage levels. This flexibility ensures reliable results even when reformer conditions change.
Figure 3: Calibration wizard window in QGAsoft
Ratio Scan and Fragment Ratio Calibration
Gases like CO require precise measurement due to overlapping mass fragments with other species. Our Ratio Scan feature enables accurate separation of overlapping signals by scanning fragment ratios in real-time, avoiding reliance on NIST database values or default ratios.
Figure 4: QGAsoft scan setup highlighting the overlaps of CO₂, CO, and Methanol
Figure 5: Ratio scan in QGAsoft
Soft Ionization for Improved Selectivity
Our gas analysers allow individual ionization energy settings for each gas. This is a valuable tool to separate overlapping species and enables users to selectively measure gases such as small concentrations of CO in the presence of high concentrations of CO₂ and N₂. Parameters like detector type and scan speed can also be adjusted per gas, offering full control over analysis conditions.
Figure 6: Threshold ionisation energies of a few gases and vapours as example
Figure 7: Advanced settings window in QGAsoft
Conclusion
Whether you’re developing a new methanol reformer or optimizing an existing system, Hiden Analytical’s gas analysers provide the precision, speed, and flexibility required for advanced research. From heated vapour sampling to advanced software features, our systems are purpose-built to support hydrogen production technologies.
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References
[1] Palo, D. R., Dagle, R. A., & Holladay, J. D. (2007). Methanol steam reforming for hydrogen production. Chemical Reviews, 107(10), 3992–4021.
[2] Peña, M. A., Gómez, J. P., & Fierro, J. L. G. (1996). New catalytic routes for syngas and hydrogen production. Catalysis Today, 29(1–4), 95–101.
[3] Götz, M., Lefebvre, J., & Wörner, A. (2008). Development of a compact methanol reformer for fuel cell systems with integrated safety and gas analysis. Journal of Power Sources, 176(1), 490–495.
