Catalytic methanation is a process that converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methane in the presence of a suitable catalyst. When green hydrogen and CO$^2$ from renewable sources are used as reactants, green methane can be produced, which is compatible with the existing natural gas distribution infrastructure. The development of this technology relies on improving catalyst efficiency and optimizing the geometry and operation of catalytic reactors. As part of this thesis, a tubular reactor made of quartz glass was designed and integrated into an existing experimental setup for conducting the methanation process. Experiments were carried out under variousoperating conditions and monitored using a high-speed thermographic camera sensitive to near-infrared radiation, combined with product analysis via gas chromatography. The results showed that the nickel(II) oxide-based catalyst exhibited the highest activity in the temperature range between 390 $^°$C and 430 $^°$C. The most intense reaction occurred at the reactor inlet where cold gases enter, while temperature drops were observed near the outlet, indicating reduced conversion. The findings highlight the potential for process optimization through the implementation of sequential reactors with shorter residence times and intermediate gas cooling, allowing better utilization of thermodynamic equilibrium in favour of methane formation.
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