Methanation of Synthesis Gas to Produce Methane: A Hands-On Catalysis Experiment

Organizing undergraduates in chemistry, energy engineering, and chemical engineering specialties to participate in an energy transformation experiment can encourage them to think about the impact of human activities on nature and stimulate them to learn more about the topic. This laboratory experiment demonstrates a general approach to the methanation of syngas in a fixed bed reactor with online chromatographic monitoring. Undergraduates gain the opportunity to operate temperature controllers, mass flow meters, fixed bed reactors, gas chromatography, and cold traps as well as broaden their knowledge of renewable CO/CO2 conversion. The experiment also offers a discussion about the chemical principles in catalytic conversion of syngas to methane, viable alternatives to green fuel sources, and the catalytic reaction process.