A Novel Integrated Fixed-Moving Bed Heat Exchanger Reactor for Coupling of Steam reforming of methane and Chemical Looping Combustion

In this study, a novel thermally coupled reactor containing steam reforming of methane and chemical looping combustion has been investigated. In this innovative configuration, huge fired furnace of conventional steam reforming process is substituted by chemical looping combustion in a recuperative coupled reactor. This reactor has three concentric tubes where the steam methane reforming is supposed to occur in the middle tube and the inner and outer tubes are considered to be air and fuel reactors of chemical looping combustion, respectively. A steady state homogeneous model of fixed bed for steam reformer and a moving bed for chemical looping combustion reactor predict the performance of this new configuration. The results prove that synthesis gas production is increased in thermally coupled reactor in comparison with conventional steam reformer.

Keywords:

Hydrogen production , Steam reforming of methane , Thermally coupled reactor , Chemical looping combustion , Cu- based oxygen carrier