Reactor sizing for steam reforming of natural gas over nickel and ruthenium catalysts

Kinetic models for the steam reforming reaction of natural gas were obtained and the appropriate reactor size was calculated by using the kinetic model. Kinetics data in steam reforming of natural gas was obtained over commercial nickel and ruthenium catalysts. After determining the parameters of the power law rate model and the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model by using the kinetics data, it is revealed that the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model is a better kinetic model than the power law rate model over both nickel and ruthenium catalysts. Also, calculation of reactor size using a PRO/II simulation with the kinetic model showed that the reactor size using the Ru catalyst is smaller than that with the Ni catalyst, in order to obtain the same amount of hydrogen in a reaction temperature range of 500-700 °C.