The　extraction　of　petroleum　and　natural　gas　is　often　accompanied　by　a　large　number　of　associated　gases,　especially　the　high　CO2　content　reservoirs　facing　the　emission　of　a　large　amount　of　CO2.　CO2　methanation　is　recognized　as　one　of　the　suitable　candidates　for　CO2　utilization　to　reduce　the　emission　of　CO2.　Because　of　the　highly　exothermic　nature　of　the　reaction,　however,　it　is　very　important　to　enhance　the　heat　transfer　process　inside　the　reactor　and　inhibit　the　formation　of　hot　spots.　In　the　fixed　bed　reactor,　the　heat　transfer　in　the　radial　direction　is　greatly　limited　compared　with　that　in　the　axial　direction.　Thus,　this　work　adopted　the　radial　flow　reactor　to　evaluate　the　CO2　methanation　process　by　the　means　of　a　numerical　model　based　on　OpenFOAM.　Four　types　of　radial　flow　reactor　configurations,　namely　centrifugal　Z-type,　centrifugal　Π-type,　centripetal　Z-type,　and　centripetal　Π-type,　were　compared.　The　fluid　flow,　heat　transfer,　and　reaction　performances　for　these　reactors　were　discussed　under　consistent　operating　conditions.　Results　show　that　the　centrifugal　Π-type　structure　has　the　most　uniform　flow　field.　In　terms　of　heat　transfer　and　reaction　performance,　the　centripetal　Z-type　structure　is　the　best　among　the　four　radial　flow　reactor　configurations.　These　findings　provide　a　theoretical　basis　and　technical　guidance　for　designing　and　developing　radial　flow　reactors.　©　2023