Model‐based Optimal Sabatier Reactor Design for Power‐to‐Gas Applications

The existing infrastructure for natural gas storage and transport made the Sabatier process an attractive step within the power‐to‐gas process chain for intermittent renewable energy storage. A model‐based optimal design for the methanation of carbon dioxide with hydrogen to methane under process‐wi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy technology (Weinheim, Germany) Germany), 2017-06, Vol.5 (6), p.911-921
Main Authors: El Sibai, Ali, Rihko Struckmann, Liisa K., Sundmacher, Kai
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Approximation
Carbon dioxide
Condensates
Condensation
dynamic optimization
energy conversion
Energy storage
Fixed bed reactors
Fluctuations
Flux
Mathematical analysis
Membrane reactors
Methanation
Methane
Natural gas
Optimization
Power-to-gas
Reactor design
Renewable energy
Spacetime
Temperature
Yield
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Summary:The existing infrastructure for natural gas storage and transport made the Sabatier process an attractive step within the power‐to‐gas process chain for intermittent renewable energy storage. A model‐based optimal design for the methanation of carbon dioxide with hydrogen to methane under process‐wide constraints is presented. After inclusion of the downstream units into the analysis, the product methane fulfils the specifications for the natural gas grid. The optimization goal was to maximize the space–time yield by applying the systematic flux‐oriented elementary process function methodology. The optimum temperature and concentration profiles along the reaction coordinate were first determined, after which they were approximated using two reaction configurations: 1) a hydrophilic membrane reactor and 2) a cascade of polytropic reactors with interstage condensation. The results show that an optimized cascade of three polytropic fixed bed reactors (e.g., optimum temperature profile) and two intermediate condensation steps is the best technical approximation for maximizing the space–time yield. Sabatier—go for power and gas: A CO2 methanation reactor is systematically analyzed and optimized using the flux‐oriented elementary process function methodology. The potential of different enhancement concepts, that is, cooling/heating and dosing/removal of different components, is investigated. The best concept for maximizing space–time yield is technically realized.
ISSN:2194-4288
2194-4296
DOI:10.1002/ente.201600600