Catalytic steam reforming of n-butane at high pressure

Abstract

A study has been made of the reaction of n-butane with steam at a total pressure of 30 atm in the temperature range 425-475°C over a co-precipitated nickel-alumina catalyst. The main object was to elucidate the primary and secondary reactions of the process. The reaction products, viz., methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water, were at equilibrium at all conversions of the butane. The order of reaction was zero with respect to butane and approximtely first with respect to water. The rate-determining step involved the initial reaction of the butane with steam.

Role of Urania and Alumina as Supports in The Steam Reforming of n-Butane at Pressure over Nickel-Containing Catalysts

“…Nickel-Alumina. For the nickelalumina catalyst the reaction products were at equilibrium (Bhatta and Dixon, 1967) at all conversions of n-butane, irrespective of the input conditions used. The decline in catalytic activity at 450°C.…”

“…If methane was formed initially to any great extent it would have to react with water faster than the parent butane in order to satisfy the experimental product distribution for both catalysts. Reference to, the literature (Akers and Camp, 1955) shows that for methane reforming over nickel the slow step in the process is the adsorption of methane, whereas for butane (Bhatta and Dixon, 1967) adsorption of hydrocarbon is a relatively fast step compared with the subsequent reactions. In the opinion of the authors the main source of methane is the hydrogenation of the excess carbon oxides, and, since it has been shown in these laboratories (Shephárd, 1969) that the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide is retarded by the presence of carbon monoxide, the most likely route for the formation of methane is the methanation reaction, CO + 3H2 ^CH4 + H20…”

Simulation of Side Fired Steam-Hydrocarbon Reformers

“…Therefore, many speculations have been made regarding the mechanism of the steam-naphtha reaction and consequently to the de velopment of models for this reaction. The model generally proposed, used in this work and elsewhere (Hyman, 1968; Malik, 1973), is based on reformation experiments carried out with hydrocarbons heavier than methane, e.g., propane, butane, hexane, and benzene (Bridger and Wyrwas, 1967; Bhatta and Dixon, 1967;Schnell, 1970). From such experiments it was deduced that methane is a primary product.…”

Steam Reforming of n-Heptane at Low Concentration for Hydrogen Injection into Internal Combustion Engines

“…The polymer fraction from a reforming nickel catalyst is of the aromatic type (Balashova et al, 1966;Bhatta and Dixon, 1967). For comparison, reforming on Rh catalyst can be used (Rabinovich et al, 1973).…”