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:

 ^pCL^pH₂

r=_{_____________________________________________}

(A+Bp_CO+Dp_CO2+Ep_CH4)

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

r = A’ (p_CO—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.