Abstract
Due to the ongoing change of energy supply, the availability of a reliable high-capacity storage technology becomes increasingly important. While conventional large-scale facilities are either limited in capacity respective supply time or their extension potential is little (e.g., pumped storage power stations), decentralized units could contribute to energy transition. The concepts of PtX (power-to-X) storage technologies and in particular PtG (power-to-gas) aim at fixation of electric power in chemical compounds. CO2 hydrogenation (methanation) is the foundation of the PtG idea as H2 (via electrolysis) and CO2 are easily accessible. Methane produced in this way, often called substitute natural gas (SNG), is a promising solution since it can be stored in the existing gas grid, tanks or underground cavern storages. Methanation is characterized by a strong exothermic heat of reaction which has to be handled safely. This work aims at getting rid of extreme temperature hot-spots in a tube reactor by configuring the catalyst bed structure. Proof of concept studies began with a small tube reactor (V = 12.5 cm3) with a commercial 18 wt % Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. Later, a double-jacket tube reactor was built (V = 452 cm3), reaching a production rate of 50 L/h SNG. The proposed approach not only improves the heat management and process safety, but also increases the specific productivity and stability of the catalyst remarkably.
Highlights
Growing energy consumption and the political target to reduce total CO2 emissions led to a boom of plant construction for alternative power production
13,147.3 million tons of oil equivalent primary energy was consumed worldwide in 2015, which was mainly covered by fossil energy sources, i.e., oil, natural gas and coal (86.0%)
Results from TEM imaging after long term testing showed no deposits on the catalyst (Figure 9) but Ni coated in NiO, which is proven by the measured lattice distances of 0.25 and 0.18 nm
Summary
Growing energy consumption and the political target to reduce total CO2 emissions led to a boom of plant construction for alternative power production. Recently in Germany, safety issues played a big a role when the abolishment of nuclear power plants was forced by politics considering past accidents and missing storage options for nuclear waste [1]. 13,147.3 million tons of oil equivalent primary energy was consumed worldwide in 2015, which was mainly covered by fossil energy sources, i.e., oil, natural gas and coal (86.0%). In comparison to 2014, the growth in Germany was +8.7 million tons oil equivalents, mainly covered by renewable energy sources (i.e., wind, geothermal, solar, biomass and waste) [2]. Wind and sun are exploited to get alternatives to energy generation from fossil sources: 26,000 wind power plants generating approximately 45 GW electrical power (GWel ) and
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