Bulk and supported Ru-based catalysts for Syngas production by Catalytic Partial Oxidation and Dry Reforming of CH4

ADRIANA D. BALLARINI; PATRICIA BENITO MARTIN; SILVIA MAINA; FRANCESCO BASILE; GIUSEPPE FORNASARI; ANGELO VACCARI; OSVALDO A. SCELZA.

Lyon

Congreso; 11th European Congress on Catalysis ? EuropaCat-XI, Lyon, France; 2013

Syngas (CO and H2) is an intermediate used for chemical, fuel and power production [1]. Although numerous efforts are directed to its production from renewable sources, natural gas is the main raw material used at industrial scale [1]. To improve the already existing natural gas-based processes the research is directed to find solutions able to decrease the investment costs and to use an autothermic process. The combination of dry reforming (DR, CH4 + CO2 ↔ 2CO + 2H2, ∆H0298K = +247 kJ/mol) and catalytic partial oxidation (CPO, CH4 + 0.5O2 → CO + H2, ∆H0298K = -36 kJ/mol) may fulfil these requirements [2]. The heat required for the endothermic DR reaction is supplied by the exothermic CPO, decreasing the heat externally supplied. Moreover, the H2/CO ratio may be tailored for the final use of syngas. Catalysts must be stable and active in both processes. Ru catalysts are an alternative to the most expensive Rh ones [3]; however its activity, related to the metallic particle size, oxidation state and sinterization, depends on the support and reaction conditions [4,5,6]. Ru catalysts can be obtained from hydrotalcite-type (HT) compounds by inserting Ru3+ cations in the layered structure [7]. HT-derived catalysts are formed by an thermaly stable oxidic matrix in which the active species are dispersed, but also RuO2 may segregate. In this work low loaded Ru catalysts (ca. 0.25 wt.%), obtained from HTs, are developed for the CPO and DR of CH4. The effect of the preparation method, coprecipitation or impregnation, on chemical-physical properties and catalytic performances is studied. Bulk catalyst is prepared from coprecipitated Ru/Mg/Al-CO3 HTs. Supported catalyst is synthesized by incipient wetness impregnation on a support derived from Mg/Al-CO3 HTs calcined at 900 ºC. For comparison purposes a Ru/γ-Al2O3 catalyst is evaluated.