Catalytic Gasification - A Critical Analysis of Carbon Dioxide Methanation on a Ru/Al2O3 Catalyst

This paper proposes a corrected kinetic model for the Sabatier (CO2 Methanation) reaction. Several other kinetic studies have been performed on the Sabatier reaction to date; however, many of these studies contain simplifications. Data available from one of the first studies (Lunde, P.J., and F.L. Kester. 1974. "Carbon Dioxide Methanation on a Ruthenium Catalyst." Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development 13 (1): 27-33) was utilized to perform a new analysis of the kinetics of CO2 Methanation. This work examined two models for the Sabatier reaction, the Perfect Mixing assumption and the differential (conversion) reactor assumption. After available data was screened for the occurrence of the Reverse Water Gas Shift reaction, the differential (conversion) reactor assumption was validated. A critical comparison to similar models available in literature is also presented.