Matrix reforming of hydrocarbons: New possibilities for low-tonnage gas processing and energy

Authors

  • Vladimir Arutyunov N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia; Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka 142432, Russia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0339-0297
  • Valery Savchenko Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka 142432, Russia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9823-6844
  • Aleksey Nikitin N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia; Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka 142432, Russia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8236-3854
  • Igor Sedov Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka 142432, Russia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9648-4895
Article ID: 537
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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18686/cest537

Keywords:

natural gas; energy; gas chemistry; oxidative conversion; matrix reforming; syngas; hydrogen

Abstract

The huge unconventional resources of natural gas in the earth's crust make it, in the future, not only the main feedstock for global energy, but also the cheapest and most abundant raw material for the production of many basic petrochemical products. However, technological complexity and high energy consumption for modern multistage processes of converting methane into thermodynamically less stable products remain the main problem constraining the development of gas chemistry. Currently, less complex and more flexible non-catalytic conversion processes of hydrocarbon gases are of great interest. A promising solution may be a principally new technology of autothermal matrix reforming of natural gas into syngas or hydrogen. Matrix reforming is a type of non-catalytic partial oxidation of natural gas with internal recuperation of the heat of conversion products, which is implemented in the surface combustion mode. It is an autothermal process that does not require additional heat supply. The absence of a catalyst not only simplifies the process but also dramatically reduces the requirements for gas preparation and purification, making the process insensitive to many impurities that are catalytic poisons and allowing the direct use of hydrocarbon gases of almost any composition as feedstock, including associated and refinery gases, as well as low-boiling liquid hydrocarbons up to the kerosene fraction. The paper presents the basic principles of matrix reforming and its kinetics, its advantages, the results achieved so far, and the most promising areas of its application.

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Published

2026-04-07

How to Cite

Arutyunov, V., Savchenko, V., Nikitin, A., & Sedov, I. (2026). Matrix reforming of hydrocarbons: New possibilities for low-tonnage gas processing and energy. Clean Energy Science and Technology, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.18686/cest537

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026)

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Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Vladimir Arutyunov, Valery Savchenko, Aleksey Nikitin, Igor Sedov

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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