Partial Oxidation of Methane into Syngas Using Electric Heating

PROJECT COST:

592 476 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

270 077 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Led by Professor Daria Camilla Boffito of Polytechnique Montréal, in collaboration with Professor Federico Galli from the University of Sherbrooke and the company Groupe d’entreprises Patience, this project seeks to develop an innovative electrically heated reactor design for the partial oxidation of methane into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂). The process employs a catalyst supported on a FeCrAl (iron-chromium-aluminum) alloy, functioning at temperatures above 800°C.

Methane’s global warming potential is up to 20 times greater than that of CO₂. Significant methane emissions arise from landfills, agriculture, and the oil industry, either through direct release into the atmosphere or combustion into CO₂. Groupe d’entreprises Patience is advancing a micro-refinery concept to transform this methane-rich gas into green diesel. The initial stage converts natural gas into CO and H₂, followed by the hydrogenation of CO into paraffins in the subsequent step. A critical limitation in current technologies is the inefficient heat transfer within the reactive zone of the syngas catalytic bed, as conventional modes—convection, conduction, and radiation—are inherently slow and exhibit low thermal transfer efficiencies.

The proposed reactor is anticipated to achieve near 100% efficiency while offering the most cost-effective solution available, alongside a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Additionally, this initiative will contribute to workforce development by training one postdoctoral fellow, one doctoral candidate, one master’s student, and four undergraduate students.