Surface Reaction Kinetics of the Oxidation and Reforming of Propane over Rh/Al₂O₃ Catalysts

A multi-step surface reaction mechanism for partial oxidation and steam reforming of propane over Rh/Al₂O₃ catalysts is presented. The mechanism is also applicable to model reactions of the subsystems H₂/CO/H₂O/CO₂/O₂/CH₄. A stagnation–flow reactor with a catalytically coated disk is used to determine the surface reaction rate and spatial concentration profiles on top of the catalytic plate using a micro-probe sampling technique. The reactor configuration facilitates one-dimensional modeling of coupled diffusive and convective transport within the gas-phase boundary layer coupled with detailed heterogeneous chemistry models of the zero-dimensional surface. The reaction system is studied at varying inlet concentrations and temperatures. The established reaction kinetics are furthermore tested by simulation of autothermal reforming of propane in an annular reactor previously described by Pagani.