Kinetics of Mild Steam Reforming of Propane in the Presence of Excess Methane over a Ni-Containing Catalyst

Abstract

Regularities of the low-temperature steam conversion or mild steam reforming (MSR) of propane in the presence of excess methane over Nicontaining catalyst were thoroughly studied. MSR of the methane-propane mixture was shown to proceed through two stages including the irreversible steam conversion of methane to carbon dioxide and hydrogen and the reversible reaction of methanation of carbon dioxide. The latter reaction is quasi-equilibrium at above ≈250 °C. The first-order rate independent of the concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide and water vapor and the activation energy equal to ca. 120 kJ/mol are characteristic of the propane transformation during MSR of the methanepropane mixture. This is a rather simple macrokinetic scheme that allows the experimental data to be correctly described and temperature and mixture flow rate to be predicted for achieving the maximal propane conversion.