Conventional steam reforming of methane to synthesis gas (CO and H2) has a conversion efficiency of about 85%. Replacement of metal tubes in the reformer with ceramic tubes offers the potential for operation at temperatures high enough to increase the efficiency to 98 to 99%. However, the two candidate ceramic materials being given strongest consideration, sintered alpha silicon carbide and silicon carbide particulate-strengthened alumina, have been shown to react with components of the reformer environment. The extent of degradation as a function of steam partial pressure and exposure time has been studied, and the results suggest limits under which these structural ceramics can be used in advanced steam-methane reformers.

Subject
Vapor pressure, Water, Materials, Corrosion rate, Tubes, Silicon carbide, Partial pressures, Weight change, Corrosion products, Ceramics, Oxygen, Steam, Oxidation
Keywords:
silicon carbide, silicon carbide particulate-strengthened alumina, steam-methane reformer, corrosion, oxidation, steam corrosion
Government work published by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) with permission of the author(s). Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1996
GOV
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