MODELING OF THE METHANE STEAM REFORMING REACTOR WITH LARGE-PORE CATALYSTS

Methane steam reforming is an endothermic process requiring high quantities of heat using catalysts with low effectiveness factors. Intraparticle forced convection can be promoted by using large-pore structured catalysts, in order to reduce intraparticle gradients and consequently increase the efficiency of the process. In order to evaluate the effect of this convective phenomenon, in the steady-state regime, three reactor models (two-dimensional and one-dimensional models) were analysed: the pseudo-homogeneous model (PH), the heterogeneous model which considers diffusion as the only mechanism of transport inside the solid (HT(d)) and the heterogeneous model which also includes the intraparticle convection (HT(dc)). Moreover, wall temperatures that must be used for getting the same final conversion of methane through the two heterogeneous models were also calculated.