Kinetics of carbon monoxide methanation on a Ni/SiO2 catalyst

Kinetics of CO methanation on a commercial Ni/SiO2 catalyst was evaluated at atmospheric pressure, between 528 and 550 K and for hydrogen to carbon monoxide molar ratios ranging from 3 : 1 to 200 : 1. The effect of reaction products on the reaction rate was also examined. Below 550 K, only methane was selectively formed. Above this temperature, the formation of carbon dioxide was also observed. The experimental data could be described by two modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic models, based on hydrogenation of surface CO by molecularly or by dissociatively adsorbed hydrogen in the rate-determining step. Water reversibly lowered catalyst activity and its effect was more pronounced at higher temperature.