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Flexible Operation of Fixed‐Bed Reactors for a Catalytic Fuel Synthesis—CO 2 Hydrogenation as Example Reaction
Author(s) -
Iglesias González María,
Eilers Hilko,
Schaub Georg
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.201500259
Subject(s) - catalysis , electrolysis , chemical reaction engineering , natural gas , process engineering , chemical engineering , renewable energy , chemical reaction , chemical reactor , energy storage , chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , engineering , electrode , power (physics) , physics , electrical engineering , electrolyte
Abstract It may become attractive in the future to operate fuel‐related chemical reactions, with H 2 as reactant, under flexible load conditions when H 2 is produced through H 2 O electrolysis using fluctuating renewable energy. In this way, the size of the H 2 storage device connected to the electrolysis cell can be reduced and, consequently, its investment costs. The design of a flexible reactor depends on the characteristics of the catalyst and the chemical reaction. CO 2 hydrogenation over Fe catalysts to short‐chain hydrocarbons, which can be used to adjust the heating value of substitute natural gas, is investigated as example reaction. A specific reactor design for flexible operation with gas recycling is a consequence of the constraints resulting from product partial pressures and reaction temperature. The experimental and mathematical methods developed can be applied to other fuel‐synthesis processes.