CATALYTIC PARTIAL OXIDATION OF METHANE TO SYNTHESIS GAS-USING MONOLITHIC REACTORS

The partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas has been studied in a monolithic type catalyst containing 5 wt.-% Ni or 1.5 wt.-% Pt. The experiments were carried out at 600-900 degrees C, 1 bar and with space times in the range of 0.2-0.005 s. Comparisons between quartz and steel reactors demonstrated that steel reactors without any kind of lining are not suitable for these kind of experiments. The axial temperature profile in the monoliths indicates that the reaction consists of a total oxidation of some of the methane followed by the endothermic reforming reactions and the water-gas shift reaction. Equilibrium product distribution was obtained except at very low reaction times. A reduction in the metal dispersion by more than 50% did not have any significant influence on the conversion or the product distribution.