CARBON MONOXIDE  Retention for Fuel Cell Application Using HETEROGENEOUS Catalysts 

Adriana Marinoiu^*, Elena Carcadea, Irina Petreanu, Claudia Șișu, Mircea Răceanu, Cătălin Capriș, Vasile Tanislav, Dorin Schitea, Daniela Ebrasu, Laurențiu Pătularu

National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies - ICIT Rm. Valcea,

Uzinei Street no. 4, P.O. Box Raureni 7, 240050, Ramnicu Valcea, Romania

ABSTRACT

The removal of carbon monoxide is a practical method that can have  a great potential for reducing concentrations down to tolerant levels.

In this study we present our results regarding the preparation of hopcalite catalysts by a new method, a combination from precipitation and redox method. The samples were investigated using micro activity equipment, for carbon monoxide oxidation in different reaction conditions (temperature in range 25-80 C, pressure 0.2-1 bar, various initial CO concentrations). The experiments showed that the CO conversion is increasing with pressure increasing and temperature decreasing. Also, the incorporation of potassium as a promoter to hopcalite was found to have a significant influence on the CO adsorption.

The prepared hopcalite catalyst exhibited steady performance in the micro activity reactor and showed over 80% CO conversion after 60 hours, reducing CO content down to residual contents. After 72 hours the performances decreases steadily to about 50%.

                 Keywords: CO retention, hopcalite,  fuel cell.