Operation of Rh/Ce0.75Zr0.25O2-δ-ƞ-Al2O3/FeCrAl wire mesh honeycomb catalytic modules in diesel steam and autothermal reforming

The Rh/Ce0·75Zr0·25O2–δ-ƞ-Al2O3/FeCrAl structured catalytic blocks of length 10, 20, and 60 mm were prepared and tested in the reactions of steam and autothermal reforming of n-hexadecane. It was found in a series of experiments on hexadecane steam reforming with the catalyst heating solely through the reactor wall that the complete conversion of hexadecane at a furnace temperature below 750 °C was not achieved even at GHSV = 10,000 h−1. Under these conditions, the formation of carbon on the catalyst surface was observed. At the reactor wall temperature of 800 °C, the complete conversion of hexadecane was achieved even in the 10 mm long catalytic block (GHSV = 60,000 h−1), accompanied by the formation of various intermediate light hydrocarbons. To achieve complete conversion of these intermediate compounds (mainly 1-alkenes), it is necessary to carry out the steam reforming reaction at GHSV = 10,000 h−1. At hexadecane autothermal reforming, heat is supplied to the reaction zone by exothermic oxidation reaction, which makes this process more efficient. In experiments with the use of additional external heat supply through the reactor wall, complete conversion of hexadecane occurred at GHSV = 120,000 h−1. To convert all by-products (mainly 1-alkenes) and achieve a nearly thermodynamic equilibrium distribution of the main reaction products (H2, CO, CO2), the reaction should be carried out at GHSV = 20,000 h−1. Without external heat supply, hexadecane conversion decreased, while the content of light hydrocarbons in the reaction products increased. An increase in the inlet amount of oxygen helps to compensate the heat losses in the reactor and to increase the efficiency of hexadecane autothermal reforming. The performed experiments allow better understanding of the processes which occur during the steam and autothermal reforming of diesel.