The use of ruthenium catalysts for the steam reforming of hydrocarbons

Steam reforming is carried out industrially on a large scale to produce town gas and in recent years attention has been focused at the production of substitute natural gas (SNG) by steam reforming. The production of SNG which is predominantly methane, is favoured by carrying out the reaction at pressures greater than 100 bar and at temperatures below 400°C. This reaction is carried out industrially in continuous flow tubular reformers and normally several process stages are required. The object of the present work was to study the steam reforming of hydrocarbons at pressures greater than 100 bar and temperatures below below 400°C. For this two laboratory rigs were constructed employing internal fixed bed reactors. Commercially available steam reforming catalysts (comprising mainly nickel) were found to be inactive at high pressures so a catalyst comprising ruthenium, zinc and alumina was developed for use under these conditions. [Continues.]