Optimal design of methane tri-reforming reactor to produce proper syngas for Fischer-Tropsch and methanol synthesis processes: A comparative analysis between different side-feeding strategies

Assessment of the recent research on the side-feeding strategy in the methane tri-reforming reactor, suggests that this procedure can be a beneficial method for producing syngas. In the present study, special attention is given to the length of methane trireformer due to its significant effect on the residence time of distributed components, reaction pathways, synthesis gas production, and reactor performance in side-feeding procedures. The optimal design of three types of membrane tri-reforming reactor, containing O-MTR, H-MTR, and C-MTR, in which O-2, H2O, and CO2 permeate as the distributed reactants through the micro-porous membrane, respectively, as well as the conventional tri-reformer (MTR) was carried out to produce proper syngas for methanol and gas-to-liquid (GTL) units. The results show that the O-MTR offers the most advantages in terms of CH4 conversion (i.e., 99.98%), H-2 yield (i.e., 1.91), and catalyst lifetime due to no formation of hot spot temperature. Additionally, the CH4 conversion and H-2 yield in the O-MTR increased by 5% compared to the MTR. However, the length of these reactor structures to produce appropriate syngas for Fischer-Tropsch and methanol synthesis processes was in the following order: MTR < C-MTR congruent to O-MTR < H-MTR. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Recent research indicates that the side-feeding strategy in the methane tri-reforming reactor can be a beneficial method for producing syngas. Optimization of membrane tri-reforming reactors shows that the O-MTR offers the most advantages in terms of CH4 conversion, H2 yield, and catalyst lifetime.