Ni and Ni-Fe perovskite for catalytic abatement of tar

Abstract

LaNiO3 and LaNi0,3Fe0,7O3 have been tested as catalyst for tar cracking reaction. They have been prepared, characterised and tested in a laboratory plant at 500-600°C. Naphthalene and n-exadecane were employed as representatives tar compounds. The tests on LaNiO3 show that it has a very high activity but XRD characterisation reveals that the catalyst is not stable in the reducing atmosphere produced during the cracking tests. XRD and EDS analysis show that there is carbon deposition on catalyst that mechanically blocks the passage of flow. The addition of iron in the catalyst structure is effective only for the n-exadecane cracking reaction. In the tests with naphthalene LaNi0,3Fe0,7O3 does not solve the problem of carbon deposition on catalyst and hence its deactivation.