Project title: Process Design of Dry Reforming of Methane over Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO Synthesized Nanocatalysts
Magnesia Role in Catalytic Performance
Supervisors: Dr. Mohammad Haghighi, Dr. Sirous Shafiei
Co-Supervisor: -
Thesis abstract:
Application of dry reforming of methane (DRM) has been greatly taken into consideration due to abundance of raw materials and removal of greenhouse gases from environment. DRM is a catalytic reforming which can be catalyzed by noble metals such as platinum or non-noble metals such as nickel. Utilization of platinum is not greatly industrialized due to its costliness and limited access. Ni/Al2O3 is the most conventional catalyst that its deactivation by carbon deposition remains the main problem. Addition of promoters and using noble synthesis methods has been posed to improve the catalyst performance. In this thesis, process design of dry reforming of methane using Ni(10%)-Co(8%)/Al2O3-MgO synthesized nanocatalyst has been accomplished in Reactor and Catalyst Research Centre of Sahand University of Technology. In this thesis, utilization of ultrasound energy has been considered as a noble method in catalyst synthesis. Also for further comparison and investigating the effect of synthesis method and metal content in catalyst performance, impregnation method and changing Al/Mg ratio from 0.5 to 5 has been examined. The reactor design was accomplished with CHEMKIN software to determine the optimum operational parameters.
Characterization of synthesized nanocatalysts was performed using XRD, BET, FTIR and FESEM analysis. The results indicated that using the ultrasound method to synthesize and considering the Al/Mg ratio equal to 5, had a great effect on physiochemical properties of synthesized nanocatalysts such as surface area and morphology. The results of reactor tests on nanocatalysts showed that the activity of the samples synthesized via ultrasound method with Al/Mg ratio of 5 was sensibly more than the other samples. Eventually, comparison between the results of the reactor tests and those of the simulation showed that there was a good agreement of data variation between them.
Education/Qualifications:
Master of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran (2010-2012).
Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, IranIran (2007-2010).
Research Interest:
Methanol Reforming
Advanced Catalysis Synthesis
Process Design and Optimization
Associations:
Bachelor student, Reactor and Catalysis Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, 2007-2010.
MSc student, Reactor and Catalysis Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, 2010-2012.
Teaching Experience:
Unit Operation (II), Teaching assistant: (2010-2011) BSc course, Chemical Engineering Faculty, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz.
Process Control (I), Teaching assistant: (2010-2011) BSc course, Chemical Engineering Faculty, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz.
Hobbies:
Fantasy:
Patents:
Publications/Presentations:
Seyed Reza Yahyavi, Mohammad Haghighi, Sirous Shafiei, Mozaffar Abdollahifar and Farhad Rahmani, "Comparative Synthesis of Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO Nanocatalyst via Impregnation and Sonochemical Methods with Al/Mg=5 Used in Syngas Production", The 14th National Iranian Chemical Engineering Congress (IChEC14), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 16-18 October 2012.
Seyed Reza Yahyavi, Mohammad Haghighi, Sirous Shafiei, Mozaffar Abdollahifar and Farhad Rahmani, "Effect of Al/Mg Ratio on Performance of Ultrasound Assisted Synthesized Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO Nanocatalyst Used in Dry Reforming of Methane", The 14th National Iranian Chemical Engineering Congress (IChEC14), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 16-18 October 2012.
Seyed Reza Yahyavi, Mohammad Haghighi, Sirous Shafiei and Mozaffar Abdollahifar, "Synthesis of Ni(10%)-Co(8%)/Al2O3-MgO Nanocatalyst with Al/Mg=5 Using Ultrasound Energy for H2 Production via Reforming Process", The 2nd Conference on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell (HFCC2012), Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2-3 May 2012.
Seyed Reza Yahyavi, Mohammad Haghighi, Ali Akbar Babaluo and Mozaffar Abdollahifar, "Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO (Al/Mg=1.5) Nanocatalyst for CO2 Reforming of Methane", The 14th Iranian Inorganic Chemistry Conference (XIV IICC), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 28-29 August 2012.
Mozaffar Abdollahifar, Mohammad Haghighi and Seyed Reza Yahyavi, "Urea-Nitrates Combustion Synthesis and Characterization of Nano-Oxides of Cu/Zn/Ce/Al Composite with Various Ce-Contents from their Nitrates", The 14th Iranian Inorganic Chemistry Conference (XIV IICC), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 28-29 August 2012.
Mozaffar Abdollahifar, Mohammad Haghighi, Ali Akbar Babaluo and Seyed Reza Yahyavi, "Ultrasound Assisted Synthesis of Ni/Al2O3 Nanocatalysts for Hydrogen Production via Dry Reforming of Methane", The 2nd Conference on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell (HFCC2012), Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2-3 May 2012.
Mozaffar Abdollahifar, Mohammad Haghighi, Ali Akbar Babaluo and Seyed Reza Yahyavi, "Promotion of Ni/Al2O3-MgO Nanocatalyst with Cobalt Using Ultrasound Energy for Hydrogen Production from CH4 and CO2", National Conference in High Technologies in Chemical Industries (NCHTCI91), Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, 22-23 May 2012.
Mozaffar Abdollahifar, Mohammad Haghighi and Seyed Reza Yahyavi, "Co-synthesis and Characterization of ZnO/CuO/Al2O3 Nanocomposite Using Urea-Nitrate Combustion Method", The 3rd International Congress on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICNN2010), Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, 9-11 November 2010.
Mozaffar Abdollahifar, Mohammad Haghighi and Seyed Reza Yahyavi, "Synthesis and Characterization of Mixed Oxides of Copper, Zinc and Aluminium from Their Nitrates and Urea Hydrolysis", The 13th Iranian National Chemical Engineering Congress & 1st International Regional Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, 25-28 October 2010.
