An effective scale-up method for the preparation of methane dry reforming catalysts

Abstract

Coke oven gas (COG) is a methane-rich by-product of the coking industry. It can be efficiently valorized via the dry reforming of methane (DRM), which turns its CH4 and CO2 into syngas. This study describes the preparation of a highly active nickel-based catalyst via coprecipitation, along with the development of a stepwise scale-up process from laboratory to kilogram scale for the DRM of COG. The effects of preparation parameters and calcination temperature on the catalyst’s structure and performance were examined. Optimized synthesis conditions enhanced precursor crystallization, and the optimal calcination temperature was 900°C. The scale-up process weakened the metal-support interaction while maintaining stable elemental composition. The resulting scaled-up catalysts exhibited favorable catalytic activity and coking resistance, achieving CH4 and CO2 conversions of 80–86% and nearly 100%, respectively. This study demonstrates the feasibility of kilogram-scale catalyst fabrication for COG dry reforming and provides technical insights for industrial applications.