Catalytic Combustion of Methane over Ceria-Zirconia Catalysts

S. A. LARRONDO; M.G. ZIMICZ

Catalytic Combustion

NovaScience Publisher Ltd.

Lugar: New York; Año: 2011; p. 173 - 188

The energy production by combustion of methane or natural gas in gas turbines and burners constitutes a well-developed technology. However, due to the fact that methane is a hydrocarbon molecule difficult to oxidize, the homogeneous combustion with air occurs in flames with very high temperatures. These high temperatures thermodynamically favor the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which constitutes the "photochemical smog", harmful to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and to human health. In recent years, global concern about the rapid increase in emissions of gaseous pollutants and greenhouse gases caused by the growth in energy demand has been growing. Under the Kyoto protocol, the reductions of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (CO2) and NOx emissions, and the increase of combustion efficiency, especially in the case of methane and natural gas, have become a central research topic. The catalytic combustion of methane emerges as a possible solution due to its advantages over the homogeneous combustion. The presence of a catalyst facilitates the total oxidation of methane and, moreover, a suitable catalyst will promote the total combustion at lower temperatures than the homogeneous reaction, leading to a reduction of NOx emissions. The goal in this area is to develop a catalyst that promotes the total oxidation of methane at low temperatures, reducing the emission of greenhouse and harmful gases. In this review, the important aspects of the catalytic combustion of methane using ceria-zirconia catalysts are addressed. The major findings in recent years are presented