Methane steam reforming in an annular microchannel with Rh/Al2O3 catalyst

Abstract

Regularities of methane conversion in the presence of water steam were obtained experimentally while activating chemical conversions on the inner convex wall of an annular microchannel. The steam methane reforming was done on the Rh/Al2O3 nanocatalyst with the heat applied through the microchannel gap from the outer wall. Concentrations of the products of chemical reactions in the outlet gas mixture are measured at different temperatures of the outer microchannel wall. The range of channel wall temperatures at which the ratio of hydrogen and carbon oxide in the outlet mixture grows substantially is determined. Data on the composition of methane conversion products for the ratio H2O/CH4 = 1.77 and the activation energy of methane steam reforming at reactor outer wall temperatures of up to 880°C are obtained. The effect of the radiation heat exchange and the external diffuse limitation on the rate of chemical conversions in methane steam reforming in an annular microchannel with external heat supply is determined.