Breakthroughs have been achieved in the development of methaneation catalysts for coal-to-gas conversion and isothermal reactors

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Breakthrough achieved in the development of methaneation catalysts for coal-to-gas production and isothermal reactors. Author/Source: Date: 2017-12-05. Clicks: 7. **The 12th Five-Year Plan for energy technology identified coal-to-natural gas conversion as one of the key projects in the field of energy application technologies and engineering demonstrations, calling for independent development of comprehensive technologies for coal-to-natural gas production and mastery of key technologies such as methaneation catalysts and methaneation reactors. With the support of the Beijing Science and Technology Commission, China Huaneng Group Clean Energy Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd. addressed the issue of heavy reliance on imports for key equipment in domestic coal-to-gas projects, such as methanation reactors, methanation process packages, and catalysts. It developed high-temperature-resistant and efficient methanation catalysts with independent intellectual property rights, as well as isothermal methanation reactors and specialized catalysts. The company also created a two-stage coal-to-natural gas methanation technology package and related equipment, overcame the key technical challenges associated with catalysts operating under high carbon monoxide loads, and achieved localization of the entire process, catalysts, and reactors. The newly developed catalyst for the complete methanation of coal-derived syngas, along with the independently innovated two-stage isothermal methanization process, have undergone 1,000 hours of pilot-scale demonstration in an industrial setting, enabling the development of a production process for catalysts on a small scale. The developed methaneation catalyst for coal gas addresses the challenges associated with the use of catalysts for coal gas methaneation in terms of cost, reaction activity, lifespan, resistance to poisons, operational range over a wide temperature spectrum, and high-temperature tolerance ； The developed isochoric methanation reactor with internal quenching and external heat exchange solves the problem of intense exothermic reaction during the methanation process ； The newly developed two-stage methanation process based on an isothermal reactor reduces the process flow and lowers the fixed capital investment in equipment. At present, Huaneng Qingneng Institute has signed a patent technology transfer agreement with Shandong Gongquan Chemical Co., Ltd., actively promoting the dissemination of the city’s scientific research achievements beyond Beijing. Through the implementation of this project, our city has acquired the research capability to independently develop methaneation catalysts for coal-to-gas production that can replace imported ones, the capability to design and manufacture isothermal methaneation reactors with internal cooling and external heat exchange, as well as the innovation capacity to develop a new two-stage isothermal methaneation process. These capabilities will help improve the economic and environmental efficiency of the coal-to-natural gas industry in China, and provide technical support for the research and dissemination of advanced technologies and equipment for coal-to-natural gas production in the country.