(Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis
The reforming of natural gas with steam and CO2 is commonly referred to as mixed reforming and considered a promising route to utilize CO2 in the production of synthetic fuels and base chemicals such as methanol. In the present study, the mixed reforming reaction is assessed regarding its potential...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2537 |
| _version_ | 1811186108575252480 |
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| author | Henrik von Storch Sonja Becker-Hardt Christian Sattler |
| author_facet | Henrik von Storch Sonja Becker-Hardt Christian Sattler |
| author_sort | Henrik von Storch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The reforming of natural gas with steam and CO2 is commonly referred to as mixed reforming and considered a promising route to utilize CO2 in the production of synthetic fuels and base chemicals such as methanol. In the present study, the mixed reforming reaction is assessed regarding its potential to effectively utilize CO2 in such processes based on simple thermodynamic models. Requirements for the mixed reforming reactions based on process considerations are defined. These are the avoidance of carbon formation in the reactor, high conversion of the valuable inlet streams CH4 and CO2 as well as a suitable syngas composition for subsequent synthesis. The syngas composition is evaluated based on the module M = ( z H 2 − z CO 2 ) / ( z CO 2 + z CO ) , which should assume a value close to 2. A large number of different configurations regarding CO2/H2O/CH4 at the reactor inlet, operating pressure and outlet temperature are simulated and evaluated according to the defined requirements. The results show that the actual potential of the mixed reforming reaction to utilize CO2 as feedstock for fuels and methanol is limited to approximately 0.35 CO2/CH4, which is significantly lower than suggested in literature. At 900 °C and 7 bar at the reactor outlet, which is seen suitable for solar reforming, a ratio of H2O/CH4 of 1.4 can be set and the resulting value of M is 1.92 (CO2/CO/H2 = 0.07/0.4/1). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:41:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c55caf56ea9d4f48a558b1c6b1f549db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:41:09Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-c55caf56ea9d4f48a558b1c6b1f549db2022-12-22T04:21:16ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732018-09-011110253710.3390/en11102537en11102537(Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic AnalysisHenrik von Storch0Sonja Becker-Hardt1Christian Sattler2Solar Chemical Engineering, Institute of Solar Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Leitung Köln-Porz, GermanySolar Chemical Engineering, Institute of Solar Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Leitung Köln-Porz, GermanySolar Chemical Engineering, Institute of Solar Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Leitung Köln-Porz, GermanyThe reforming of natural gas with steam and CO2 is commonly referred to as mixed reforming and considered a promising route to utilize CO2 in the production of synthetic fuels and base chemicals such as methanol. In the present study, the mixed reforming reaction is assessed regarding its potential to effectively utilize CO2 in such processes based on simple thermodynamic models. Requirements for the mixed reforming reactions based on process considerations are defined. These are the avoidance of carbon formation in the reactor, high conversion of the valuable inlet streams CH4 and CO2 as well as a suitable syngas composition for subsequent synthesis. The syngas composition is evaluated based on the module M = ( z H 2 − z CO 2 ) / ( z CO 2 + z CO ) , which should assume a value close to 2. A large number of different configurations regarding CO2/H2O/CH4 at the reactor inlet, operating pressure and outlet temperature are simulated and evaluated according to the defined requirements. The results show that the actual potential of the mixed reforming reaction to utilize CO2 as feedstock for fuels and methanol is limited to approximately 0.35 CO2/CH4, which is significantly lower than suggested in literature. At 900 °C and 7 bar at the reactor outlet, which is seen suitable for solar reforming, a ratio of H2O/CH4 of 1.4 can be set and the resulting value of M is 1.92 (CO2/CO/H2 = 0.07/0.4/1).http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2537methane reformingsolar reformingCO2 utilizationcarbon formationsolar fuelsconcentrated solar power (CSP) |
| spellingShingle | Henrik von Storch Sonja Becker-Hardt Christian Sattler (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis Energies methane reforming solar reforming CO2 utilization carbon formation solar fuels concentrated solar power (CSP) |
| title | (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis |
| title_full | (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis |
| title_fullStr | (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis |
| title_short | (Solar) Mixed Reforming of Methane: Potential and Limits in Utilizing CO2 as Feedstock for Syngas Production—A Thermodynamic Analysis |
| title_sort | solar mixed reforming of methane potential and limits in utilizing co2 as feedstock for syngas production a thermodynamic analysis |
| topic | methane reforming solar reforming CO2 utilization carbon formation solar fuels concentrated solar power (CSP) |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2537 |
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