This paper focuses
on the experimental demonstration of a three-stage
GST (gas switching technology) process (fuel, steam/CO
2
, and air stages) for syngas production from methane in the fuel
stage and H
2
/CO production in the steam/CO
2
stage
using a lanthanum-based oxygen carrier (La
0.85
Sr
0.15
Fe
0.95
Al
0.05
O
3
). Experiments were
performed at temperatures between 750–950 °C and pressures
up to 5 bar. The results show that the oxygen carrier exhibits high
selectivity to oxidizing methane to syngas at the fuel stage with
improved process performance with increasing temperature although
carbon deposition could not be avoided. Co-feeding CO
2
with
CH
4
at the fuel stage reduced carbon deposition significantly,
thus reducing the syngas H
2
/CO molar ratio from 3.75 to
1 (at CO
2
/CH
4
ratio of 1 at 950 °C and
1 bar). The reduced carbon deposition has maximized the purity of
the H
2
produced in the consecutive steam stage thus increasing
the process attractiveness for the combined production of syngas and
pure hydrogen. Interestingly, the cofeeding of CO
2
with
CH
4
at the fuel stage showed a stable syngas production
over 12 hours continuously and maintained the H
2
/CO ratio
at almost unity, suggesting that the oxygen carrier was exposed to
simultaneous partial oxidation of CH
4
with the lattice
oxygen which was restored instantly by the incoming CO
2
. Furthermore, the addition of steam to the fuel stage could tune
up the H
2
/CO ratio beyond 3 without carbon deposition at
H
2
O/CH
4
ratio of 1 at 950 °C and 1 bar;
making the syngas from gas switching partial oxidation suitable for
different downstream processes, for example, gas-to-liquid processes.
The process was also demonstrated at higher pressures with over 70%
fuel conversion achieved at 5 bar and 950 °C.