THE CARBON-DIOXIDE REFORMING OF METHANE IN A THERMAL-DIFFUSION COLUMNREACTOR (TDCR) AND A PYROLYSIS REACTOR (PR)

The CO2 reforming of CH4 in a thermal diffusion column reactor (TDCR) was conducted from 800 degrees C to 1175 degrees C on a tungsten wire in a vertical and inclined (45 degrees) mode. Comparison was made with a horizontal pyrolysis quartz reactor with coiled wire. The wall temp erature of the pyrolysis reactor was controlled by a tubular furnace. The longer coiled wire in this reactor gave higher conversion than the TDCR for comparable wire temperatures and flow rates. The conversion of CH4 and the yields of H-2, CO and H2O were compared with calculated values and indicate that the hot wire reactors are nonequilibrium sys tems due to the different diffusion characteristics of the reactants a nd products. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.