Synthesis Gas and Zinc Production in a Noncatalytic Packed‐Bed Reactor

Abstract

A noncatalytic packed-bed reactor has been constructed for management of the reduction of ZnO by methane, which leads to co-production of synthesis gas and zinc. The reactor consisted of a simple vertical pipe filled with ZnO pellets. These pellets underwent reaction with a pure methane flow. Experimental tests were conducted in the temperature range 860-995°C at atmospheric pressure in an electrically heated reactor. The results showed complete chemical conversion of methane to synthesis gas in the aforementioned temperature range. In addition, analysis of the product solids indicated that the collected solids in the outlet of the reactor were entirely zinc. The maximum methane flow rates (149-744 mL min -1 ) were adjusted to ensure complete chemical conversion of methane. These adjustments were performed for different bed heights at various operating temperatures. Analysis of the product gases revealed high quality synthesis gas production without the influence of methane cracking or other undesired side reactions in the experimental tests. Finally, the governing partial differential equations of the reactor modeling were solved by the finite element method. Consequently, the gaseous profiles along the reactor and the breakthrough curves were predicted and compared with the experimental tests.

Noncatalytic Synthesis Gas Production by Reduction of ZnO with Methane in a Dilute Phase Pneumatic Conveying Reactor

“…This value is about 14 times greater than the maximum reformed flow rate in our previous work (a batch packed-bed reactor with inner diameter of 5 cm). 15 Higher temperatures (over 1523 K on the outer skin of the reactor) were avoided, as such high temperatures approach the maximum operating temperature of the materials construction. Considering Table 1, the chemical conversion of methane was increased by decreasing the inlet gas flow.…”