Chapter 8 - Microwave-assisted reforming for syngas production

Abstract

Microwave (MW)-assisted catalytic reactors have gained a lot of attention in the last two decades. This is due to their heat transfer enhancements within the catalyst structure, which led to low energy consumptions and higher catalyst stability. This chapter introduces the production of syngas by dry reforming in MW-assisted catalytic reactors. It starts with a general discussion of utilizing MW technologies in chemical reactions and how will that affect the reactor design and the different reaction parameters. The discussion is then directed to methane reforming catalyst design for MW reactors. These catalyst systems are classified into: metal-supported structures, carbon materials, and metal–carbon structures. The chapter ends by addressing the challenges and opportunities in MW-assisted methane reforming.