13.     AKERS, W. W., AND WHITE, R. R.  Kinetics of Methane Synthesis.  Chem. Eng. Progress, vol. 44, No. 7, 1948, pp. 553-566; Chem. Abs., vol. 42, 1948, p. 6085.

                When CO and H2 mixtures are passed over a reduced Ni catalyst at 300°-350° and 1 atm., CH4 is produced by the reaction CO+3H2=CH4+H2O.  CO2 is formed by the side reaction CO+H2O=CO2+H2.  Carbon is not formed in appreciable amounts under the conditions studied.  The rate of reaction between the adsorbed reactant molecules on the active centers of the catalyst is the rate-controlling step in the synthesis of CH4.  The rate of the CH4-synthesis reaction is correlated by the equation:

 pCLpH2

r=_____________________________________________

(A+BpCO+DpCO2+EpCH4)

The initial rate of formation of CO2 can be expressed by the empirical equation:

r = A’ (pCO—B’).

The rate remains almost constant until the rate of CH4 formation equals the CO2 rate.  Thereafter both rates are equal, and the CH4 rate equation can be used as the CO2 rate equation.