variavel0=<b>Maria Isabel Sosa</b> - misosa@volta.ing.unlp.edu.ar UNLP- Facultad de Ingeniería-Area Térmica
<b>José Luz Silveira</b> - joseluz@feg.unesp.br FEG-UNESP
<b>Alberto Fushimi</b> - afushimi@volta.ing.unlp.edu.ar UNLP- Facultad de Ingeniería-Area Térmica
<b>Abstract.</b> This paper starts up with some remarks concerning fuel cell applicability regarding micropower technology, rational use of primary resources and environmentally damaging activities.It reviews some aspects of fuel gas reforming process. Hydrogen production as feedstock for use in fuel cells, as well as the hydrocarbons reforming process for use in an internal reforming molten carbonate cogeneration fuel cell with a methane- and ethane-rich natural gas in the fuel processor is described. The major preferred pathways are described and the benefits of steam reforming are compared to catalytic decomposition. Since steam reforming reaction kinetic is fast, the thermodynamic factor plays the determinant role in the reactor process. Thermodynamic mass- and enthalpy-balance in the steam reforming of methane have been carried out and making use of a calculation program developed for this purpose, the thermodynamic equilibrium involved in the steam reforming is optimized by the method of direct minimization of the Gibbs free energy. Natural gas to hydrogen conversion is correlated with the operative conditions and the reaction heat.
<b>Keywords.</b> natural gas reforming, hydrogen, thermodynamic balance, fuel cell.