Abstract: This work investigated the effects of chlorine ions and water on the performance of the Pd/Al2O3 catalyst for the catalytic combustion of methane. Residual chlo rine ions inhibit the catalyst activity by blocking chemisorption sites. The act ivity also decreases with the addition of water vapor to the feed stream owing t o the formation of inactive Pd(OH)2.

Key words: palladium, alumina, methane, catalytic combustion, deactivation, regeneration, chlorine ion, water vapor