Steam Reforming of Hydrocarbons on Alkali Polyaluminate Catalysts (Part 1)

The reaction between benzene and steam on potassium polyaluminate catalysts was investigated in a flow system under atmospheric pressure at 900°C. The catalytic activity increased with increasing K+ content in the catalyst, showing that the potassium cation constituted the active sites for this reaction. The rate of reaction between the deposited carbon and steam also increased as the K+ content increased. A good linear relationship was obtained between activity and the rate of the carbon-steam reaction.The conversion of benzene to carbon monoxide and dioxide and the amount of deposited carbon decreased with increasing partial pressure of steam, while both of them increased with increasing partial pressure of benzene. The depression with steam was explained by the competition of the steam with benzene for the active sites, resulting in retardation of the formation of intermediate deposited carbon.