MODELING AND SIMULATION OF BIFUNCTIONAL CATALYST FOR STEAM METHANE REFORMING PROCESS

Abstract

Hydrogen is considered as the next generation energy carrier that can offer a non-polluting, inexhaustible, efficient, and potentially cost effective energy source for the future. Steam Methane Reforming Process is a high efficiency process extensively used for hydrogen production. Multifunctional reactors and catalyst systems which provide additional degree of freedom in reactor design are the current areas of investigation for H2 production from SMR. In the present work, comprehensive particle model proposed by Agar et al. [Chem. Eng. Journal, 2005, 107, 103-111] has been modified and employed for simulating bifunctional catalyst particle model for different adsorbent-catalyst configurations of the particle. The model has been employed under various operating conditions to study reaction rate profiles, concentration profiles, conversion profiles and to optimize the configuration for maximizing CH4 conversion and H2 yield. A thorough analysis shows that B1 configuration results in highest conversion (98.37%) and yield (3.935) and thus is the most desirable among all configurations studied.