Conversion of hydrocarbons to synthesis gas in a counterflow moving bed filtration combustion reactor

The conversion of hydrocarbons to synthesis gases via partial oxidation in a non-premixed filtration combustion is considered in a continuous reactor wherein filtration medium/inert solid matrix comprises a moving bed of a granular material flowing countercurrently to the gas flow. Similar to the previously considered conversion in a reversed-flow reactor, such embodiment provides a possibility of attaining high combustion temperature due to efficient heat recuperation, while performing the process continuously without transients associated with the flow reverse. In the moving bed process, the flowrate of the granular material becomes an independent control parameter. A thermodynamic assessment of the macrokinetic conversion regimes as dependent on fuel composition and oxidant gas and fuel supply rates and granular solid flowrate is performed under the assumption that the combustion temperature is self-consistent according to thermodynamic equilibrium with the composition of syngas. Calculations for the methane/air-steam and 2-propanol/airsteam conversion are provided as examples. The calculations show that the process provides a possibility to combine in a stationary continuous process a high combustion temperature with low net heat effect and thus, a high chemical efficiency of conversion. The parametric domain for control parameters providing highly efficient conversion is determined. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.