Hydrogen production by coupled catalytic partial oxidation and steam methane reforming at elevated pressure and temperature

Hydrogen production by coupled catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) and steam methane reforming of methane (OSMR) at industrial conditions (high temperatures and pressures) have been studied over supported 1 wt.% NiB catalysts. Mixture of air/CH₄/H₂O was applied as the feed. The effects of O₂:CH₄ ratio, H₂O:CH₄ ratio and the gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) on oxy-steam reforming (OSRM) were also studied. Results indicate that CH₄ conversion increases significantly with increasing O₂:CH₄ or H₂O:CH₄ ratio. However, the hydrogen mole fraction goes through a maximum, depending on reaction conditions, e.g., pressure, temperature and the feed gases ratios. Carbon deposition on the catalysts has been greatly decreased after steam addition. The supported 1 wt.% NiB catalysts exhibit high stability with 85% methane conversion at 15 bar and 800 °C during 70 h time-on-stream reaction (CH₄:O₂:H₂O:N₂ = 1:0.5:1:1.887). The thermal efficiency was increased from 35.8% by CPO (without steam) to 55.6%. The presented data would be useful references for further design of enlarged scale hydrogen production system.