2D model of the transfer processes for CO2 methanation in a microchannel reactor

A dynamic two-dimensional model was developed for transfer processes in a microchannel reactor in an innovative plant concept for CO2 methanation. The model is based on balance equations together with deactivation and sulfidation submodels taking into account the chemisorption of impurity (H2S). The deactivation of the catalyst is described by Levenspiel's deactivation kinetic model (LDKM). Sulfidation is defined by the shrinking core model (SCM) equation. Following the rate-determining step assumption, a simplified mechanism is derived for CO2 and CO methanation in a microchannel reactor with kinetic rate expressions. The developed 2D model adequately describes transient and steady-state behavior of the microchannel methanation reactor following the trend in experimental profiles available in the literature.