Abstract
Carbon dioxide hydrogenation to produce methane, as an energy carrier or raw material, has great potential for the chemical industry. Since methanation reaction is strongly exothermic and sensitive to diffusion, radial flow reactors represent a clear solution thanks to their low pressure drop and effective heat removal. A two-dimensional mixing cell network (MCN) approach to model the carbon dioxide methanation in a radial flow reactor is proposed. The reaction is catalyzed by a bi-functional Ni-Ce zeolite 13X supported catalyst, combining catalytic and adsorption functions. This contribution outlines the ongoing work, starting from a straightforward MCN pseudo-homogeneous approach comparing it with a tubular packed bed reactor. Both methanation kinetics and water adsorption have been successfully implemented in both models, setting feasibility for further improvements. Future developments will be necessary aiming to aid the design of units employing Ni-Ce/13X catalysts.