Highly active and selective catalyst for synthetic natural gas (SNG) production

Abstract

A novel nickel-based methanation catalyst has been prepared and tested for CO and CO2 hydrogenation to synthetic natural gas under various conditions. The catalysts before and after reaction have been characterized using XRD, Laser Raman and IR spectroscopes. It is showed that the novel catalyst can give high methane selectivity and yield at a very broad ranges of temperature and H2/CO ratios, although the selectivity to methane increase with the H2/CO ratio, which, however, increases with the temperature rising from 200 to 350 °C, then gradually decrease. The characterization results showed that the there is surface carbons forming over the catalyst surface, and the nickel crystalline structure changes during the reaction. Despite this, the catalyst still gives the same performance, which suggested that the catalyst can operate in a very broad range conditions.