Structured reactors as alternative to pellets catalyst for propane oxidative steam reforming

The performance of a Pt/CeO₂ catalyst as packed bed, coated on monolith and as self-structured bed has been evaluated during C₃H₈ oxidative steam reforming. Structured bed, prepared by a new aqueous tape casting method, combining high total porosity (80%) with a self-supported channel structure, offers a better and more efficient control of heat and mass transfer along the catalytic bed, showing, especially at high gas hourly space velocity (30 × 10⁴ h⁻¹), better performance in terms of fuel conversion, hydrogen production and low by-products formation coupled with an economy of the catalyst of about to 43% with respect to the traditional packed bed system.