Methane reforming in microchannels: Application to the methanol synthesis

Methanol as a simple hydrocarbon containing oxygen is one of the most consumed gas chemicals all around the world. It is a versatile fuel that can be used in fuel cells such as direct methanol fuel cells and downstream proton exchange membrane fuel cells, combustion engines, or even as on-board hydrogen storage. In the chemical industry, methanol is also a vital intermediate employed in a variety of applications and feedstocks. The production of heat upon the synthesis of methanol enhances the temperature of the reactor, lowers the conversion rate, and hastens the deactivation of the catalyst. More isothermal process conditions can be achieved by using microchannel reactors in the methanol synthesis. Because of the small channel's dimensions, the reactor has a high surface-to-volume ratio, which greatly enhances the heat and mass transfer. The rapid heat and mass transfer of substances caused by diffusion in small lateral dimensions results in narrower residence-time distribution in the reactor for gas-phase reactions. The purpose of this work is to investigate the methane-reforming process in microchannels with application in the methanol synthesis process in recent years.