Monolithic substrate support catalyst design considerations for steam methane reforming operation

This paper reviews the research undertaken to study the design criteria that address the monolithic support structure requirements in steam reforming operation for the effective mass transfer of process gases to the active sites and effective conductive heat transfer through tube wall to the active catalytic areas, as well as low pressure drop operation. Design considerations include selection of substrate materials that possess good mechanical strength to withstand the severe reaction conditions and prevent catalyst crushing that would lead to carbon formation and catalyst deactivation, and excessive heating of the tube that results in hot spots which is fatal to tube lifetime. The support's mechanical properties are listed for the purpose of providing guidelines on verifying the structure durability. The practical aspect of packaging and stacking the monolith structures in the reformer tube for ease of loading and discharge is discussed to understand its readiness in industrial application.