Development of methane reformer from calcium aluminosilicate coated with nickel

Full text: This work deals with the development of a reformer from alkali metal aluminosilicate coated with nickel for the generation of hydrogen from biogas (methane). The catalysts were prepared by sintering the aluminosilicate (Al2O3.SiO2) with CaO (5%, 10% and 20%wt) and subsequent coating them with Ni (nitrate). The CaO was incorporated as carbonate, with PSD control. The reformers were characterized (XRF, XRD, PSD, DTA, SEM and diametral compression resistance). The reformer impregnation with the metal catalyst (Ni) occurred by immersing the ceramics into nitrate, with subsequent drying and analysis of catalytic activity at atmospheric pressure using methane gas as reagent (chromatography). The preliminary results show that the catalysts have good catalytic activity, and the route used has shown to be economically and technically feasible. (author)