Method and system for producing a hydrogen enriched fuel using microwave assisted methane decomposition on catalyst

A method for producing a hydrogen enriched fuel comprising:

• providing a flow of methane gas;
• providing a catalyst;
• heating the catalyst using microwave irradiation at a selected microwave power;
• directing the flow of methane gas over the catalyst to convert at least some of the methane gas to hydrogen;
• and
• selecting the catalyst, controlling the flow of methane gas, and controlling the microwave power to produce a product gas comprising methane and hydrogen in selected volume percentages.

A method for producing a hydrogen enriched fuel comprising:

• providing a tube reactor having a reaction chamber with microwave transparent walls in flow communication with a methane source;
• placing a catalyst in the reaction chamber;
• providing a microwave generator;
• irradiating the catalyst using microwave irradiation at a selected microwave power of the microwave generator;
• directing a flow of methane gas through the reaction chamber into contact with the catalyst;
• and
• controlling the microwave power to produce a product gas comprising hydrogen and methane in selected volumetric percentages.

A system for producing a hydrogen enriched fuel comprising:

• a methane gas source configured to provide a methane gas flow;
• a reactor having a reaction chamber with microwave transparent walls in flow communication with the methane gas source configured to contain a catalyst and to circulate the methane gas in contact with the catalyst;
• and
• a microwave power source configured to heat the catalyst in the reaction chamber to form a product gas having a selected volumetric percentage of hydrogen and methane.