| Emissions of methane to the atmosphere are deemed by many to pose environmental problems. Conversion of methane to carbon dioxide through combustion reduces greenhouse gasses and can provide a source of energy. Catalytic combustion is a viable option for oxidation of lean methane streams. Lean methane mixtures can be very difficult to oxidize due to the relative stability of methane, and high temperatures are usually required. One option for increasing reactor temperature is to use flow reversal to trap energy in the reactor.; This thesis details the development, validation and use of a transient 2D model for a reverse flow catalytic reactor. It is demonstrated that a 2D model can show many dynamics in the system that cannot be accurately reproduced with a 1D model. The model is verified with experimental data using a pilot scale reactor. This research presents results from numerical simulations and experiments into the effects of operating parameters such as feed rate, methane concentration, and cycle time. |
