Work

A Method of Analyzing the Component Reactions of an Overall Reaction: Autothermal Reforming of Acetic Acid Example

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Using Excel and its Solver feature, a method of analyzing the component reactions of an overall reaction is outlined. As an example, autothermal reforming of acetic acid (AA), a significant component of pyrolysis oil, was considered. The overall reaction can be viewed as being comprised of 5 individual reactions: reforming, oxidation, water gas shift, reverse Boudouard, and methanation. A laboratory apparatus was set up in which acetic acid, air, and water was continuously fed to a BASF dual layer catalytic reactor at 1 atm. For this setup, it is easy to construct a material balance in Excel in which five factors, fi, representing the fraction of reactant going to each of the individual 5 reactions are assigned to each reaction. Using the Solver feature of Excel the five factors fi can readily be obtained which best match the measured analyte exit gas concentrations for CO, CO2, H2, CH4 and O2. A program such as GasEq or Aspen can be used to calculate the theoretical equilibrium gas composition at a given condition. Using this equilibrium gas composition and Solver, the individual (fi)equilb can be calculated. Thus, the ratio fi/(fi)equilb is an indication of how close each component reaction is to equilibrium, In this way an idea is gained of which of the individual component reactions need to be improved or inhibited or if space velocity should be adjusted to influence a specific reaction.

Source: Processes

DOI: 10.3390/pr13103112

Authors: James Manganaro, Yujia Liu, Jiazhun Huang, Bi Chen, Adeniyi Lawal

Institutions: Stevens Institute of Technology, Guangdong University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Catalysts for Methane Reforming

Subfield: Catalysis

Field: Chemical Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896

Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, Biomass Program