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To obtain the flexible microreactor for potential application in constrained space, a novel flexible tubular microreactor was designed by using a corrugated shell and a high porosity porous copper fiber rod (PCFR) as catalyst support. The effect of placement position, bending direction, and bending angle on reaction performance of flexible tubular microreactor was investigated. Then, the stability of flexible tubular microreactor was further evaluated. The experimental results showed that the placement position and bending direction had a significant influence on the reaction performance of flexible tubular microreactor. Methanol conversion of flexible tubular microreactor with the vertical placement was 6.67% higher than that with horizontal placement. Higher methanol conversion and H 2 flow rate were obtained when the microreactor bent along the vertical direction. The reaction performance of flexible tubular microreactor was found to decrease as the bending angle increased, and the methanol conversion decreased by around 14.07% with a bend of 90°. When the flexible tubular microreactor was horizontal placed with a bend of 60° in the vertical direction, the reaction performance of microreactor was not changed little after 20 cyclic bending. After continuous bending for 10 h, the methanol conversion and H 2 flow rate of flexible tubular microreactor were 70.58% and 0.88 mol/h, showing good reaction performance. • A novel flexible tubular microreactor was developed. • A high porosity porous copper fiber rod as catalyst support was designed. • Effect of factors on reaction performance of the microreactor was investigated. • Microreactor exhibited better hydrogen production performance under different bending conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • UV-Laser ablation enhanced Joule-heating catalyst support used in MSR microreactor as internal heat source is proposed. • Methanol conversion rate is improved from 70.52 % to 91.45 % with energy density input of only 2 W/cm3. • Reforming efficiency of 51.91% is obtained without any waste heat recovery measures. • Mechanism of radial temperature gradient in microreactor eliminated by JHCS is revealed. Methanol is a promising hydrogen carrier, where hydrogen-rich gas can be produced by methanol steam reforming (MSR). However, this method of releasing hydrogen is highly energy consuming. Herein, the Joule-heating catalyst support (JHCS) was fabricated by a FeCrAl metal to enhance the efficiency of electrification, replacing the conventional external heating method. The heat can be provided for the reforming reaction directly inside the microreactor by the Joule-heating method. The Joule-heating reactor showed a faster thermal response than the externally heated reactor; the start-up heating time and the time of a start-stop cycle are about 75 % and 50 % of those for external heating, respectively. The methanol conversion rate of the Joule-heating microreactor was 91.45 % at 280 °C, improved by nearly 30 % than the external heating counterpart. The consumed power density of the Joule-heating microreactor was 2 W/cm3, only 15.8 % of external heating (12.61 W/cm3). The reforming efficiency reached 51.91 % without any waste heat recovery measures, about 4 times of the external heating method. Heat transfer simulation verified the minimal radial temperature gradient in the microreactor eliminated by JHCS. The proposed JHCS method demonstrates a uniform microreactor temperature distribution and superior hydrogen production performance with lower power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]