Methane dry reforming in a microwave heating-assisted dense fluidized bed

Abstract

Dry reforming of methane helps mitigate greenhouse gas emissions as a global issue. This technology produces syngas, which can be converted into valuable chemicals, e.g., synthetic fuels. Electrification of this technology by adopting a microwave heating-assisted dense fluidized bed dry reformer can enhance its sustainability. In the present study, we developed a model to assess the performance of this reactor. This first-of-its-kind model employed an Eulerian-Granular multiphase model in conjunction with Maxwell's equation to simulate catalyst particles' hydrodynamics and microwave-induced heating while combined with the corresponding reactions to predict the overall performance of the dense fluidized bed reactor. We validated the model with experimental data from literature and performed a set of parametric studies with the validated model. This model holds promise for identifying the optimal operating conditions of the selected reformer, i.e., a crucial step toward commercialization of microwave heating-assisted dry reforming of methane.