Evaluation of reaction conditions in the dry reforming process using a Ni/MCM-41 catalyst for syngas production

The dry reforming of biogas offers a sustainable route for syngas production. This study evaluates a nickel catalyst supported on Si-MCM-41 for dry reforming, with a focus on optimizing reaction parameters such as, catalyst size and mass, pressure, and space velocity. Catalyst stability and resistance to H₂S poisoning were also assessed. The catalyst Ni/MCM-41 was characterized before and after reaction using TGA, XRD, N₂ physisorption, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and TPR. The best performance was achieved with 3 g of catalyst (500–710 μm), under atmospheric pressure and a space velocity of 7.20 L h⁻¹ gcat⁻¹, reaching CH₄ and CO₂ conversions of 99.14 % and 97.48 %, and H₂ and CO selectivity near 49 %. The catalyst remained stable for 50 h and tolerated H₂S concentrations up to 10 ppm. This study demonstrates the potential of Ni/MCM-41 as a stable and sulfur-tolerant catalyst for dry reforming, highlighting its suitability for efficient biogas upgrading.