Due to the growing need for transitioning to sustainable energy utilization methods, catalytic methanation is emerging as a promising option within the framework of the green transition. This process involves the conversion of carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methane, which is more practical than hydrogen in terms of its use in existing energy systems. The present
work focuses on the application of infrared thermography to observe the temperature field during the catalytic methanation process within a reactor cell. A literature review was conducted, with special emphasis placed on existing experimental systems for catalytic methanation, particularly those employing infrared thermography for temperature measurements. This was followed by the design and construction of a experimental setup, whose central component is a methanation reactor that enables direct observation of the reaction zone using a thermal imaging camera. The methanation process was successfully
carried out on the designed experimental setup, and the presence of methane was confirmed using gas chromatography. By implementing quartz or zinc-selenide transparent windows, it was possible to observe the temperature fields in the reaction zone using a camera with an indium-gallium-arsenide sensor as well as one with a microbolometric sensor. Measurements were performed at various initial temperatures, flow rates, and reactant ratios. Based on the analysis of high-resolution temperature fields, the influence of process variables on the catalytic methanation process was evaluated. The developed methodology demonstrates significant potential for further application in the determination and optimization of the kinetics of such catalytic reactions.
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