Catalysts for the conversion of hydrocarbon and synthetic fuels for onboard syngas generators

Abstract

The use of syngas derived on board a vehicle as a supplement to the main fuel fed to engines ensures engine operation using dilute fuel mixtures. This leads to a decrease in emission toxicity and an increase in the fuel efficiency of the engine. The preparation of new types of efficient catalysts for the conversion of hydrocarbon and synthetic fuels for onboard syngas generators requires the use of new approaches to the design of catalysts not only as catalytically active material, but also as a structural component of a chemical reactor. We prepared and tested a set of catalysts for the conversion of hydrocarbons, i.e., natural gas, diesel and biodiesel fuels, biofuels, and alcohols (ethanol, methanol) to syngas. Primary supports for the catalysts were metals grids and porous tapes; secondary supports were oxides of aluminum and magnesium deposited on or sintered to a primary support. The catalysts exhibited high thermal stability and mechanical strength, and were characterized by the conformity of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the support material and the catalytically active bed. The catalysts can be used as structural components of reactors and as a basis for the preparation of monolithic blocks and planar components of radial and planar reactors. The developed catalysts were subjected to laboratory and bench tests and examined as components of onboard generators of vehicles.