Efficient Performance of the Methane-Carbon Dioxide Reform Process in a Fluidized Bed Reactor

The reforming of methane with CO₂ was carried out efficiently in a fluidized bed reactor at 973 K under atmospheric pressure, taking advantage of the nickel catalyst efficiency achieved with a bed of particulate fines. The fluidization operation was characterized by determining a minimum velocity of 3.11 × 10⁻³ ms⁻¹ and higher velocities. The reactor worked with surface speeds of up to 1.84 × 10⁻² ms⁻¹, providing conversions from 45% to 51% and a syngas yield of 97%. The control base of the operation focused on the use of CO₂ was established through the reaction steps assumed for the process, including methane cracking, reverse Boudouard reaction, and RWGS (reverse reaction of water gas-shift). The reactor designed to operate in two zones was able to simultaneously process surface reactions and catalyst regeneration using feed with 50% excess CO₂ in relation to methane. Predictions indicating the production of syngas of different compositions quantified with the H₂/CO ratio from 2.30 to 0.91 decreasing with space-time were validated with the results available for process design.