Methane partial oxidation in a two-layer porous media burner with Al₂O₃ pellets of different diameters

In this study, the fuel-rich combustion of methane in a two-layer porous media burner with Al₂O₃ pellets of different diameters was experimentally investigated. The upstream layer consisted of 2.5-mm diameter packed Al₂O₃ pellets, and the downstream layer consisted of 5-mm, 6.5-mm, 7.5-mm, and 9.5-mm diameter packed Al₂O₃ pellets. The effects of pellet diameter on the temperature distribution, exhaust composition, and the syngas energy conversion efficiencies were studied at a fixed operation condition with an equivalence ratio of 1.6 and a gas velocity of 0.13 m/s. An optimal downstream pellet diameter of 7.5 mm was determined for the partial oxidation of methane corresponding to the highest syngas energy conversion efficiency. Stabilized methane fuel-rich flames were realized in the optimized burner for various gas velocities (0.09 m/s–0.15 m/s) and equivalence ratios (1.2–1.7). The effects of operation conditions (gas velocities and equivalence ratios) on the combustion performance were also tested. We found that 50.0% of the methane was converted to H₂ and CO at an equivalence ratio of 1.7 and an inlet gas velocity of 0.15 m/s with burner energy conversion efficiency based on lower heating values.