Water-Shift Reaction in the Intertubular Space of a Reactor for Steam Reforming of Natural Gas

An analysis is undertaken to study the experimentally established fact that, in the intertubular space of a reactor for steam reforming of methane, there is a water-shift reaction. A physical model is proposed to explain the possibility of the catalytic reaction in the absence of a specially prepared catalytic surface. It is assumed that there are two catalytic layers, one of which is formed by catalyst dust escaping from the previous stage of the process (from the shaft reactor) and the other of which is produced by the interaction of the reaction mixture with the metal surface of tubes and casings. By mathematical modeling, the thickness of the produced catalytically active metal layer is determined.