Performance evaluation of fixed-bed, millistructured, and metallic foam reactor channels for CO2 methanation

Power-to-gas technologies, combining hydrogen produced by water electrolysis with carbon dioxide to produce substitute natural gas (SNG), can support the increased penetration of renewable electricity sources. However, the technical and economic feasibility of these technologies requires the conversion efficiency of the whole process, including the methanation step. This paper provides an experimental performance comparison of three catalytic methanation reactor concepts, a fixed-bed reactor, a millistructured reactor, and a metallic foam reactor with the same nickel-alumina catalyst. The response of each reactor was analyzed in light of five performance criteria, representing the methane yield, the reactor compactness, and the maximum temperature elevation. The millistructured reactor channel showed a higher methane space-time yield and volumetric productivity than the other reactors, but a significant catalyst temperature elevation. The metallic foam reactor showed a much lower space-time yield and volumetric productivity, but very good thermal management.