Evaluation of Two-Dimensional Pseudo-Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Modeling Approaches in Steam-Methane Reforming Reactors

Steam-methane reforming (SMR) serves as a key method for hydrogen production, using natural gas as the primary feedstock. Traditionally, the simulation of this process has relied on one-dimensional (1D) models, which come in two forms: pseudo-homogeneous or heterogeneous. These models, while useful, neglect the radial gradients in temperature and concentration by assuming perfect radial mixing within the reactor. In contrast, twodimensional (2D) models offer a detailed view of the reactor radial behavior by incorporating terms for mass dispersion and thermal conduction. When modeling SMR packed-bed reactor, one can opt for a pseudo-homogeneous approach, which employs an effectiveness factor to consider diffusion resistances, or a heterogeneous approach, which calculates diffusion within the catalyst particles by adding a catalyst domain. This work presents a case study of an SMR reactor to evaluate these modeling approaches. Steadystate analysis is given to highlight the distinct outcomes produced by each method.