The engine reformer: Syngas production in an engine for compact gas-to-liquids synthesis

Methane (CH4) reforming was carried out in an internal combustion engine (an “engine reformer”). We successfully produced syngas from the partial oxidation of natural gas in the cylinder of a diesel engine that was reconfigured to perform spark ignition. Performing the reaction in an engine cylinder...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Canadian journal of chemical engineering Vol. 94; no. 4; pp. 623 - 635
Main Authors:	Lim, Emmanuel G., Dames, Enoch E., Cedrone, Kevin D., Acocella, Angela J., Needham, Thomas R., Arce, Andrea, Cohn, Daniel R., Bromberg, Leslie, Cheng, Wai K., Green, William H.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Canada Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2016 Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Subjects:	Combustion Cylinders engine Engines Equivalence ratio gas-to-liquids methane Natural gas partial oxidation Soot syngas Synthesis Synthetic fuels
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Summary:	Methane (CH4) reforming was carried out in an internal combustion engine (an “engine reformer”). We successfully produced syngas from the partial oxidation of natural gas in the cylinder of a diesel engine that was reconfigured to perform spark ignition. Performing the reaction in an engine cylinder allows some of the exothermicity to be captured as useful work. Intake conditions of 110 kPa and up to 480 °C allowed low cycle‐to‐cycle variability (COVnimep < 20 %) at methane‐air equivalence ratios (ϕM) of 2.0, producing syngas with an H2‐to‐CO ratio of 1.4. Spark ignition timing was varied between 45–30° before top‐dead‐center (BTDC) piston position, showing significant improvement with delayed timing. Hydrogen (H2) and ethane (C2H6) were added to simulate recycle from a downstream synthesis reactor and realistic natural gas compositions, respectively. Adding these gases yielded a stable combustion up to hydrocarbon‐air equivalence ratios (ϕHC) of 2.8 with COVnimep < 5 %. Ethane concentrations (with respect to methane) of up to 0.2 L/L (20 vol%) (with and without H2) produced robust and stable combustions, demonstrating that the engine can be operated across a range of natural gas compositions. Engine exhaust soot concentrations demonstrated elevated values at ϕHC > 2.4, but < 1 mg/L below these equivalence ratios. These results demonstrate that the engine reformer could be a key component of a compact gas‐to‐liquids synthesis plant by highlighting the operating conditions under which high gas conversion, high H2‐to‐CO ratios close to 2.0, and low soot production are possible.
Bibliography:	Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) istex:B1AA0B4CC6F2C619E152D00E55035C17755AFB7A ark:/67375/WNG-FG3D0FH1-3 ArticleID:CJCE22443 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 USDOE
ISSN:	0008-4034 1939-019X
DOI:	10.1002/cjce.22443