As a part of various
research projects, a methanation pilot plant
with a slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) was commissioned and operated.
The plant has a nominal load of a 100 kW methane output (lower calorific
value) with a reactor diameter of 260 mm and a reactor length of 2500
mm. First experimental data on the steady-state and dynamic operation
of catalytic CO2 methanation are presented. Steady-state
results from laboratory-scale studies (<1 kW methane output) published
previously were confirmed qualitatively at the pilot plant eliminating
wall effects unavoidable in small-scale reactors. As predicted, high
H2/CO2 ratios increase CO2 conversion,
but excess H2 apparently promotes decomposition of the
liquid phase (dibenzyltoluene) used in the bubble column reactor.
Additionally, due to the increased reactor dimensions compared to
laboratory equipment, it was now possible to observe a thermal response
of the SBCR under conditions of rapid gas load changes characteristic
of envisaged power-to-gas applications with volatile renewable electricity.
As the predicted robustness of the SBCR-concept toward a dynamic operation
with fast load changes was demonstrated successfully, it offers an
attractive alternative to the established fixed-bed methanation technologies
with their inherent limitations on dynamic operability.