Abstract
Oxidative carbon dioxide reforming of methane to synthesis gas over alumina-supported Ni catalysts was investigated at atmospheric pressure. The reforming reactions were carried out using a CO2 to CH4 feed ratio of one and reaction temperatures in the range 600-800 degrees C. The activity and stability of the catalyst, carbon deposition, and synthesis gas (H-2/CO) ratio were determined. Catalyst deactivation was primarily due to coke formation, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric/differential analyzer (TG/DTA) techniques were used to confirm carbon deposition. It was observed that increasing the oxygen feed concentration and/or reaction temperatures, enhanced methane conversion and reduced coke formation. When 20% O-2 feed was used at 800 degrees C, catalyst stability test revealed a 99.7% CH4 conversion, 1.0% CH4 conversion drop and 1% carbon formation. (C) 2011 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.