Kinetic study for thermal production of hydrogen from H 2S by heterogeneous catalysis of vanadium sulfide in a flow system

Abstract

Kinetics for thermal production of hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide in a flow system have been studied, using different mixtures of vanadium oxide and sulfide in Al 2O 3 in a tube furnace. Apparent rate constants and the order of the reaction have been calculated from hydrogen production, after separation of both sulfur and unreacted hydrogen sulfide from reaction products. First and second order kinetic equations have been used for different concentrations of catalyst for the temperature range of 723–873 K. Arrhenius activation energies and frequency factors have been studied. The Arrhenius activation energies were between 31–53 kJmole −1 and the orders of the reactions were between zero and one, depending on catalyst and temperature.