Kinetic evaluation of methane-carbon dioxide reforming process based on the reaction steps

Evaluations of the methane-carbon, dioxide component of a carbon reforming process over a Ni/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst were performed in a fixed-bed reactor at 1023, 1073, and 1123 K. The fitting of mass balance equations, including kinetic rate laws based on a mechanism proposition of three reaction steps, was formulated following experimental indications, where each step of the reaction system was individually evaluated. The comparison between experimental and calculated concentrations of the reactants and product effluents of the fixed-bed reactor leads to the estimation of the order of magnitude of the kinetic parameters corresponding to the reaction steps. The model was validated with the syngas selectivities evolutions at 943-1146 K.