A catalytic heat-exchanging tubular reactor for combining of high temperature exothermic and endothermic reactions

A multifunctional catalytic heat-exchanging (HEX) tubular reactor for combining exothermic and endothermic reactions has been developed and tested for catalytic methane oxidation and methane steam reforming. The methane combustion and steam reforming catalysts were synthesized on the heat-conducting metal foam support materials by application of preliminary plasma spraying of alumina in order to increase adhesive properties of the active layer. The HEX rector with perovskite-supported catalyst on Ni-Cr foam material on the external surface of the HEX tube and with Ni containing reforming catalyst on the internal Ni foam was successfully tested in methane combustion reaction combined with methane steam reforming. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.