Monolithic catalysts for methane steam reforming intensification: Experimental and numerical investigations

• Methane steam reforming reaction performed on Ni-loaded SiC monoliths.
• Highly thermal conductive honeycomb structures as attractive catalyst supports.
• Development of a preliminary steady-state heterogeneous 3D model.
• The wall flow configuration may overcome the fixed-bed reactor limitations.
• More uniform temperature distribution and more effective mass transport.

Highly thermal conductive honeycomb structures were proposed as catalyst supports to enhance the heat and material transfer properties of catalysts. This work focuses on the experimental testing and preliminary numerical modeling of the methane steam reforming reaction performed on a Ni-loaded SiC monolith packaged into an externally heated tube. In particular, the two flow configurations of flow through and wall flow were investigated and compared. A preliminary steady-state heterogeneous 3D model was developed including momentum, mass and energy balances. The experimental tests as well as the numerical simulations indicate that the wall flow configuration may overcome the fixed-bed reactor problems, yielding a more uniform temperature distribution and more effective mass transport.