Turning waste CO2 into feedstock

CO₂ capture and CO₂ utilization technologies are receiving a lot of attention in the context of combating climate change. ReShift™, Topsoe’s CO₂ reforming technology, offers a new way to utilize CO₂ to produce tailor-made synthesis gas.

From waste product to feedstock

CO₂ is a greenhouse gas generated as a waste product in many industries and is often emitted to the atmosphere. However, reforming of methane with mixtures of steam and carbon dioxide, or CO₂ reforming, is a way to actually use the CO₂ as feedstock to produce valuable synthesis gas. CO₂ reforming, used in Topsoe’s ReShift™ technology, is a chemical process that can be designed with overall negative CO₂ emissions, providing a way to convert waste CO₂ to valuable products.

An increase in the amount of CO₂ added to the process will result in an increased fraction of CO in the produced synthesis gas. Through CO₂ reforming, synthesis gas can be produced covering a wide range of H₂/CO ratios. These CO-rich gasses are typically used in the production of functional chemicals and fuels.

New high-temperature reactor for production of CO-rich synthesis gas

Increasing CO₂ in the feed, however, moves operating conditions closer to and even beyond the carbon formation limits for nickel -based reforming catalysts. This can be mitigated by Topsoe’s ReShift™ technology.

ReShift™ is based on a two-reactor system, where classical steam reforming is done initially in a SMR or ATR, followed by CO₂ addition to the hot synthesis gas and subsequent conversion in an adiabatic post convertor (APOC).