Kinetics of the steam reforming of methane with iron, nickel, and iron-nickel alloys as catalysts

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Catal.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9517(81)90010-5· OSTI ID:5600311

Muenster, P; Grabke, H J

The steam reforming of methane on iron or nickel, CH/sub 4/ + H/sub 2/O ..-->.. CO + 3H/sub 2/, can be regarded as a sequence of two reactions with adsorbed carbon as an intermediate species: CH/sub 4/ ..-->.. C(ads) + 2H/sub 2/, C(ads) + H/sub 2/O ..-->.. CO + H/sub 2/. As the first reaction is rate limiting, the following rate law can be applied to methane reforming catalysed by iron: v = k/sub 2//sup Fe/ a/sub 0//sup -n/ p/sub CH/sub 4///P/sub H/sub 2///sup 1/2/, 0.6 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 1.0. The oxygen activity a/sub 0/ on the catalyst surface is virtually determined by the ratio P/sub H/sub 2/O//P/sub H/sub 2// in the gas atmosphere. The above rate equation was confirmed by measurements in a flow apparatus for the temperature range 700 to 900/sup 0/C. In agreement with the reaction model the steady-state carbon activity on the iron surface and the steady-state carbon concentration in the iron catalyst are very low. With nickel as catalyst the reaction rate is much higher and independent of the oxygen activity on the catalyst surface. The rate equation reads: v = k/sub 2//sup Ni/ P/sub CH/sub 4//. Different partial reaction steps of the methane decomposition are rate determining on iron and nickel.

• Research Organization: Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Duesseldorf, Germany
• OSTI ID: 5600311
• Journal Information: J. Catal.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Catal.; (United States) Vol. 72:2; ISSN JCTLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080103 -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Steam Reformer Processes
090110* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Properties-- (1979-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALKANES
ALLOYS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
INFORMATION
IRON
IRON ALLOYS
KINETICS
METALS
METHANE
NICKEL
NICKEL ALLOYS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
REFORMER PROCESSES
STEAM
STEAM REFORMER PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS