Methanation of alkali carbonate and CO2 with water in the presence of raney Fe-Ru/C mixed catalyst

The methanation of alkali metal carbonates and CO with water were investiga ted in the presence of Raney Fe-carbon supported ruthenium (Raney Fe-Ru/C) mixed catalyst in water. The methanation were not affected by Raney Fe alon e, but the formation of alkali formate was found for the CO2 reaction. The combination of Ru/C with Raney Fe, however, created a high activity for the formation of methane at high temperatures (>300 degrees C). The reactions were also controlled by the reaction temperatures, i.e. the selectivity and yield of methane increased with increasing temperature, suppressing the fo rmation of metal formate. One notable characteristic in the present reactio ns is a rapid formation of a considerable amount of metal formate in the in itial stage. It is assumed that the methanation occurs via the formation of metal formate and its subsequent hydrogenation by nascent hydrogen which i s produced from water by action of Raney Fe. The apparent activation energi es for the methanation of Na2CO3 and COL in aqueous NaOH solution on Raney Fe-Ru/C mixed catalyst were estimated to be 14 kcal mol(-1) and 17 kcal mol (-1), respectively.