CATALYTIC REFORMER-COMBUSTOR - A NOVEL REACTOR CONCEPT FOR SYNTHESIS GAS-PRODUCTION

A novel reactor design, so called a reformer-combustor, has been propo sed for performing CO2 reforming of methane to synthesis gas with high yield and energy efficiency. In this reactor that consists of two int erconnected fluidized beds, i.e. reformer and combustor, heat that is needed for the highly endothermic CO2 reforming is generated by cataly tic combustion of methane over a reforming catalyst. The heat generate d in the combustor is supplied to the reformer with circulating solid particles. Circulation of solids is used not only for heat transport b ut also for catalyst regeneration. The experimental studies of CO2 ref orming as well as of catalytic combustion of methane over a Ni (1 wt % )/alpha-Al2O3 catalyst that were performed in a laboratory-scale fluid ized-bed reactor (i.d. = 5 cm) confirmed the feasibility of this react or concept.