Mathematical Modeling of Reverse Water-Gas Shift Reaction in a Fixed-Bed Reactor

A two-dimensional, pseudo-homogeneous model is used to study the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction in a fixed-bed reactor under steady-state conditions. A redox kinetic model is applied in the reactor model for a description of the reaction kinetics. Results show that the model predictions have an average error of 2.7% and are in good agreement with experimental data for nonequilibrium conditions. With increasing space velocity, the CO2 conversion decreases, but the temperature drop in the reactor increases. Furthermore, a H-2/CO2 ratio equal to one in the feed is the optimum ratio. Finally, the temperature, concentration, and pressure profiles inside the reactor are predicted.