Experimental investigations on a non-catalytic diesel autothermal reformer with reacting and non-reacting pre-mixer

Logistic fuels such as JP-8 diesel continue to hold importance as energy carriers for strategic applications due to their energy density and wide availability. For fuel cell system applications, such logistic fuels must be reformed on board to syngas; whereas, the catalytic reforming of commercial or military grade liquid fuels presents numerous challenges. In this study, we examine the possibility of increasing the conversion and energy efficiency of a non-catalytic diesel autothermal reformer by introducing a relatively homogenous mixture into the reactor. We achieve the mixing through two methods: one involving a reacting pre-mixer and the other with a non-reacting pre-mixer. Results demonstrate that a non-reacting pre-mixer enhances energy efficiency by up to 12% points, while increasing the conversion efficiency to nearly 88%. We expect further improvement in both conversion and energy efficiencies once design modifications are carried out to the pre-mixer such that lower residence times and higher ignition delays can be achieved.