The path to European climate neutrality by 2050 will require comprehensive changes in all areas of life. For large industries such as steelworks, this results in the need for climate-friendly technologies. However, the age structure of existing steelworks makes transitional solutions such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) necessary as short-term measures. Hence, a purposeful option is the integration of technical syntheses such as methanation into the overall process. This work summarizes hydrogen-intensified methanation experiments with synthetic steel gases in the novel additively manufactured reactor ‘ADDmeth1’. The studies include steady-state operating points at various reactor loads. Blast furnace gas (BFG), basic oxygen furnace gas (BOFG) and three mixtures of these two gases serve as carbon sources. The methanation achieved methane yields of 93.5% for BFG and 95.0% for BOFG in the one-stage once-through setup. The results suggest a kinetic limitation in the case of BFG methanation, while an equilibrium limitation is likely for BOFG. There is a smooth transition in all respects between the two extreme cases. The reaction channel inlet temperature ${\vartheta }_{in}$ showed a large influence on the reactor ignition behavior. By falling below the threshold value, a blow-off occurred during experimental operation. By means of a simulation model, practical operating maps were created which characterize permissible operating ranges for ${\vartheta }_{in}$ as a function of the gas composition and the reactor load.

Development works with metallic open channel PM Filter Catalyst in conjunction with diesel oxidation catalysts and Pre Turbo Catalyst (PTC) on Diesel Cars and Commercial Vehicles with CRDi engines have been reported earlier. These results show that PM conversion efficiency of the order of 40 % can be achieved with PM Filter Catalyst on passenger car diesel engines with continuous regeneration capability. Recently experiments were carried out on a DI engine having distributor type rotary fuel injection equipment with electronic control, turbocharged and inter-cooled, calibrated for BS-III (EURO-III) emissions, with an aim to explore the potential of oxidation catalyst and the PM Filter Catalyst to meet BS-IV (Euro-IV) emission norms. These experiments were carried out with 500ppm sulphur diesel. The results of the tests are presented in this paper. It is seen that with only an oxicat of low level catalyst loading, PM (soluble organic fraction) can be brought down by 20%. PM Filter Cat needs high percentage of NO2 to regenerate itself. Due to high sulphur fuel, oxicats with higher catalyst loading form sulphates and prohibit oxidation of NO to NO2. Thus the potential for major PM reduction with the help of metallic PM Filter Cat cannot be realized with high sulphur fuel. Experiments with 50 ppm sulphur diesel could not be arranged to find out the effectiveness of the system for its applicability for BS-IV. The same is planned in near future.

Hydrogen from biogenic sources is central to the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system, offering flexibility for mobility and industrial applications. Decentralized steam reforming of biogas enables on-site hydrogen production but requires precise heat management due to its strongly endothermic nature. In small-scale systems, conventional manufacturing approaches often limit geometric flexibility and thermal integration, whereas additive manufacturing enables highly integrated reactor structures that overcome these constraints. This study presents the development and experimental evaluation of a compact, monolithic reformer additively manufactured from silicon-infiltrated silicon carbide, combining combustion and reforming zones in a single component to enhance heat transfer and compactness. The reactor features an internal U-shaped reforming channel filled with a nickel-based catalyst and was tested under varying loads. CH₄ conversions of 95–99% close to equilibrium were achieved at gas hourly space velocities up to 75,000 h⁻¹. Stable internal heat supply sustained reforming, although combustion results remain preliminary due to manufacturing-related blockages in the combustion channels, as revealed by computed tomography (CT) analysis. Energy assessments indicate that thermal efficiency is primarily limited by external heat losses of up to 46%, resulting from the high operating temperatures and small reactor dimensions. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the integrated reactor concept while highlighting current limitations related to manufacturability and heat losses, providing a basis for future optimization and scale-up.