Performance Evaluation of Various Ni-Based Catalysts for the Production of Hydrogen via Steam Methane Reforming Process †

Abstract

Steam methane reforming (SMR) approaches are highly recognised and pivotal in industrial H<inf>2</inf> production, contributing over 40% to global hydrogen production. The prime objective of this study is to optimise the significant parameters involved in the SMR process to achieve the utmost conversion of CH<inf>4</inf> to H<inf>2</inf>. To attain this, a sophisticated one-dimensional unsteady-state heterogeneous plug flow reactor (PFR) model was methodically constructed and simulated using the Aspen HYSYS V11 software. The study comprises an exhaustive comparison of seven diverse sets of catalysts, primarily categorised based on the different weight percentages of Ni in Ni/Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> catalysts, along with various promoters incorporated to enhance the conversion rate in the SMR process. This comprehensive evaluation identifies the most operative catalyst configuration for optimising CH<inf>4</inf> conversion. The results obtained through the simulations revealed that CH<inf>4</inf> conversion intensifies with an increase in temperature, while it weakens with higher pressures within the catalyst set considered for the study. The analysis yielded promising conclusions by comparing the simulated CH<inf>4</inf> conversion percentages at various temperatures with data from the existing literature. The maximum absolute error encountered was only 3.72%, signifying the accuracy and reliability of the developed model. Moreover, the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) calculated was a low 1.42%, suggesting the robustness of the proposed approach. The findings lay the foundation for future innovations and improvements in the field, ultimately fostering more efficient and sustainable hydrogen generation. As the demand for clean energy grows, the optimisation of the SMR process becomes increasingly vital, making this study a crucial step towards meeting global energy needs while minimising environmental impact. © 2024 by the authors.