Syngas formation by selective catalytic oxidation of liquid hydrocarbons in a short contact time adiabatic reactor

Abstract

The research of pilot plant scale explores syngas formation from such liquid fuels like isooctane and gasoline by selective catalytic oxidation at short contact times in nearly adiabatic reactor operating with the representative throughputs. The original monolithic catalysts with different (microchannel ceramics and metallic honeycomb structure) supports have been used in the experiments. The results demonstrated that over the range of the operational parameter O 2 /C = 0.50–0.53 required for syngas generation, equilibrium synthesis gas was produced over the catalysts employed, thus proving some evidence of their high activity and selectivity. Pre-reforming of fuel with releasing of some chemical energy before the catalytic monolith can occur in reactor. Both feed composition and superficial velocity affect the pre-reforming process. The phenomenon may be favored in syngas production because of a milder catalyst temperature mode is created. In general, axial temperature profile depends on catalytic composition in the frontal part of monolith, while the back-face catalyst temperature controls equilibrium product gas. Minimal both longitudinal and transversal temperature gradients were observed in the metallic catalytic monolith in comparison to the microchannel ceramic one. This helps to decrease deformations and thermal stresses in monolithic catalysts at the process performance.